Department of English Language

Institute of Modern Languages

University of Dhaka

Title of the Thesis:

An Evaluation of English For Today (2015-16) For
Classes 11-12

Exam Roll No.: 06

Registration No.: HA-1272
Session: 2013-2014
ELT 512: Dissertation
Masters of Arts (MA) in English Language Teaching (ELT)
2016

A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MA in ELT
 Declaration

This is to certify that this dissertation is the result of an original investigation and it
has not been submitted partially or fully for any other diploma or degree at any
other university. In addition, all information sources and literature used are
appropriately indicated in the dissertation.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I would like to express sincere thanks to and a cauldron of unalloyed love
and respect for my supervisor who, with utmost care and sincerity, gave me
professional advice and guidance to go ahead with the research. This piece of work
would not have come into being if it had not been for the supervisor’s cooperation and
strong supervision.
I pay my heartfelt respect to all the teachers of the Department, whose
inspiring remarks and positive feedbacks turned my fear and weaknesses into strength
and enthusiasm. I am also thankful to the teachers and the students whom I
interviewed for collecting the data. They were very friendly and gave me their
valuable time out of their tight schedules to help me with their views of and reactions
to English For Today. Finally my heartfelt thanks to all the people who assisted me to
conduct the research from the beginning till the end.

October, 2016
University of Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh

i
 ABSTRACT
A textbook designed for teaching and learning a language is a significant tool in
ESL/EFL classrooms to facilitate the language learning processes. This study is
primarily a basic document analysis aimed to evaluate the new English For today
(2015-2016) developed by National Curriculum & Textbook Board (NCTB)
according to the National Curriculum 2012 for classes 11-12 in Bangladesh. NCTB
made an all-out effort to design the book on the basis of the CLT principles. I
evaluated EFT to find out how effective it was for the ESL/EFL classrooms and how
the four language skills were integrated in it. I divided the evaluation processes into
two sections: 1) English For Today: Micro and Macro Evaluation and 2) Quantitative
Data Analysis. Micro and Macro evaluation was done on the basis of my own
observations and examination of the whole EFT book by using McDonough and
Shaw’s (2003) two-level criteria (External and Internal). On the other hand, two self-
constructed survey questionnaires, one for the students of classes 11-12 and the other
for the English language teachers, were used to collect the quantitative data. The total
number of participants in this study was 33 (30 students and 3 teachers) from three
colleges in Bangladesh. The analysis of the data has been shown using bar-charts and
pie-charts. The findings were not satisfactory: the analyses and findings showed that
listening skills were completely ignored in the book and the book was not found to be
effective as the language used in the book was, in most cases, beyond the level of the
students. At the end, some recommendations have been made on the basis of the
analyses and findings.

ii
 Contents
Acknowledgement i
Abstract ii
Contents iii
List of Appendices vi
List of Tables vii
List of Figures viii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Purpose of the Study 3
1.3 Significance of the Study 3
1.4 Statement of the Problem 4
1.5 Research Hypothesis 4
1.6 Limitations of the Study 4
1.7 Definition of Terms 5

Chapter 2: Literature Review 6

2.1 The Importance of Textbooks 6
2.2 The Limits of Textbooks 8
2.3 Material Evaluation 9
2.4 Reasons for Textbook Evaluation 9
2.5 Criteria for Material Evaluation 11
2.6 A Review of Previous Studies 14

Chapter 3: Research Methodology 20

3.1 Sample Size 20
3.2 Instrumentation 21
3.3 Data Collection Procedures 21
3.4 Data Analysis 21

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Chapter 4: English For Today: Micro and Macro Evaluation 23
4.1 English For Today (2015-16) at A Glance 23
4.2 A Summary of the preface of English For Today (2015-2016) 23
4.3 English For Today: Table of Contents and Summaries of the Lessons 24
4.3.1 Unit One: People or Institutions Making History 24
4.3.2 Unit Two: Traffic Education 25
4.3.3 Unit Three: Food Adulteration 26
4.3.4 Unit Four: Human Relationships 26
4.3.5 Unit Five: Adolescence 27
4.3.6 Unit Six: Path to Higher Education 30
4.3.7 Unit seven: Human Rights 32
4.3.8 Unit Eight: Environment and Nature 33
4.3.9 Unit Nine: Myths and Literature 34
4.3.10 Unit Ten: Dreams 35
4.3.11 Unit Eleven: Diaspora 36
4.3.12 Unit Twelve: Peace and Conflict 37
4.3.13 Unit Thirteen: Greatest Scientific Achievement 39
4.3.14 Unit fourteen: Art and Music 40
4.3.15 Unit Fifteen: Tours and Travels 42
4.4 Macro Evaluation 43
4.4.1 The intended audience-the age level 43
4.4.2 How has the language been presented and organized into teachable
units/lessons? 44
4.4.3 Are the materials to be used as the main Core course or to be
supplementary to it? 45
4.4.4 Is a vocabulary list/index included? 47
4.4.5 What visual materials does the book contain (Photograph, charts,
diagrams) or is it there for cosmetic value only or is it integrated into the
text? 48
4.4.6 Is the material too culturally biased or specific? 48
4.4.7 Does the content present minority groups and women in a negative way?
Does it present a balanced picture of a particular country/society? 49

iv
 4.5 Micro Evaluation 50
4.5.1 The presentation of skills in the materials- are all the language skills
covered appropriately? Are the skills treated in an integrated way? 50
4.5.2 The grading and sequencing of the materials 51
4.5.3 Where reading skills are involved, is there enough opportunity for the
students to practice those skills beyond the text? 52
4.5.4 Where listening skills are involved, are recordings ‘authentic’ or
artificial? 52
4.5.5 Do speaking materials incorporate what we know about the nature of
real interaction or are artificial dialogues offered instead? 52
4.5.6 The relationship of tests and exercises to (a) student needs, and (b) what
is taught by the course material. 53
4.5.7 Are the materials suitable for different learning style? Could they be
used in Self-study mode? 53
4.5.8 Are the materials sufficiently ‘transparent’ to motivate both students and
teachers alike? 53
4.6 Interpretation of the evaluation 54
4.7 EFT beyond the internal and external evaluation, and quantitative
analysis. 55
4.7.1 Demonstration of backdated statistics 55
4.7.2 Detected Errors 56

Chapter 5: Quantitative Data Analyses and Findings 57

5.1 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Students’ Views 57
5.2 Interpretation of the Results 72
5.3 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Teachers’ Views 74
5.4 Interpretation of the Results 89
5.5 Findings: Overall Critical Analysis of English For Today (2015-2016) 90
5.5.1 The effectiveness of EFT according to the learners’ level 90
5.5.2 The four language skills in EFT 92

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations 94

6.1 Conclusion 94

v
 6.2 Recommendations 96

References 97
Appendices 101
Appendix A: Students’ Questionnaire 101
Appendix B: Teachers’ Questionnaire 106

vi
List of Tables
Table 1: the names of the colleges and the number of the students 21
Table 2: the names of the colleges and the number of the students 21
Table 3: The Table of the Distribution of Marks for Paper One. 46

vii
List of Figures: 5.1 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Students’ Views
Chart 1: appropriateness for the age level 57
Chart 2: a complete and detailed table of contents 58
Chart 3: the print quality of this book 58
Chart 4: the quality of the photograph and images 58
Char 5: Use of technological instruments in the class 59
Chart 6: any supplementary book while using this book 59
Chart 7: any reference book while using this textbook 60
Chart 8: the photographs, diagrams, and charts 60
Chart 9: traditional images and information 61
Chart 10: more photos, diagrams and charts? 61
Chart 11: the book is culturally biased 62
Chart 12: the materials in this book are arranged in an organized way 62
Chart 13: needs of Audio/Visual materials to make students’ concept clearer 63
Chart 14: the content and the exercises relevant to each other 63
Chart 15: exercises for classroom activity 64
Chart 16: the vocabulary list 64
Chart 17: whether the vocabulary is appropriate 65
Chart 18: suitable for self study or students need teacher’s help 65
Chart 19: difficulty in using this book 66
Chart 20: positive views of ethnic origins, occupations, age group, social groups
and disability 66
Chart 21: technological instruments the teacher uses 67
Chart 22: exercises after each lesson 67
Chart 23: skills students can improve by reading EFT 68
Chart 24: the activities in the book match with the activities in real life 68
Chart 25: this book encourage students to express their own views 69
Chart 26: EFT covers all the four skills equally 69
Chart 27: skills prioritized in the book 70
Chart 28: skills ignored in this book 70
Chart 29: classroom activity students usually do in the class 71
Chart 30: students’ comment on EFT 71

viii
List of Figures: 5.3 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Teachers’ Views
Chart 1: opinion about CLT 74
Chart 2: Whether the approach allows various class activities 75
Chart 3: EFT’s complete and detailed table of contents 75
Chart 4: opinion about the photos/charts/diagrams of this book 76
Chart 5: traditional images and Information 77
Chart 6: varied and interesting reading texts 77
Chart 7: sufficient content for spoken English 78
Chart 8: communicative exercises and activities 78
Chart 9: EFT book covers all the four skill equally 79
Chart 10: all the skills are treated in an integrated way 79
Chart 11: any skill being ignored in this book 80
Chart 12: skills students can improve 80
Chart 13: needs of Audio/Visual materials to make students concept clearer 81
Chart 14: books evaluated by the teachers 81
Chart 15: successful reflection of the CLT approach 81
Chart 16: the arrangements of the units 82
Chart 17: the vocabulary used in EFT according to the level of the students 82
Chart 18: the presentation of the content 83
Chart 19: supplementary book with EFT 83
Chart 20: EFT is appropriate for the students’ level of competence 84
Chart 21: the social and cultural contexts 84
Charts 22: adequate exercises in the book 85
Chart 23: activities and exercises in EFT 85
Chart 24: the content and the exercises relevant to each other 85
Chart 25: audio/visual materials in the class 86
Chart 26: EFT suitable for different learning styles 86
Chart 27: the book is culturally biased 87
Chart 28: possibility to complete a lesson in one class 87
Chart 29: possible to complete the syllabus within one academic year 88
Chart 30: comment on EFT 88

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 Page |1

Chapter 1
Introduction

B
ooks are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most
accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
-Charles William Eliot
1.1 Introduction
Cunningsworth (cited in McDonough and Shaw, 2003) remarks “There are very few
teachers who do not use published course materials at some stage in their teaching
career”. In South Asian educational institutions, textbook is a prerequisite tool for
teachers to venture into the process of teaching a foreign language. Moreover, in
educational institutions, textbook as a tool of teaching and learning plays the central
role in providing pattern to teachers and guideline to students. “Textbook influences
both the students and teachers, as they provide pattern to the teacher so they could
teach in a better way and guideline to the students for better learning” (Shah, Rafique,
Shakir, and Zahid 2014, p. 104). Textbooks are considered at the heart of educational
activities, as they provide students “a rich array of new and potentially interesting
facts, and open the door to a world of fantastic experience” (Chambliss & Calfee,
1998, cited in Shah at al 2014, p. 104). In Bangladesh, a country in which English is
used as a foreign language, there is no other option but to rely solely on a textbook to
facilitate the target language acquisition.
As English is an international language, it is given much importance in the
curriculum of our country. At all levels of education, students are required to learn
English and it is no more a matter of astonishment that English is nurtured and taught
with much care in a land in which a lot of blood has been spilled to protect its own
mother tongue. The English language is included in the syllabus of primary,
secondary, and higher secondary level by ministry of education. After their higher
secondary level, students have to face different competitive exams which require them
to have all the prerequisite skills of the target language. So to develop the English
language skills, a book equipped with well-thought-out content is needed. The new
“English for Today (2015-2016)” henceforth EFT, has recently been prescribed by
National Curriculum & Textbook Board, Bangladesh for classes XI-XII and the book
is used as the main textbook of English (Paper One).
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As the main English textbook, EFT carries a lot of weight in the English language
teaching and learning processes. All the teachers and students are obliged to use this
book as the primary tool for teaching and learning the English language. It, according
to NCTB, features all the characteristics of CLT approach. Now comes up a question
about the condition of the English language teaching system in Bangladesh. Is it
improving or deteriorating? Very Recently, Kabir (2016) have mentioned that several
changes have taken place in language teaching system of our country since the
inception of the CLT approach which was supposedly a replacement for GTM
(Grammar Translation Method) in 1996. CLT superseded GTM nineteen years back
and has been holding the fort since then.
But Kabir (2016) expresses his reservations saying that when CLT made its way
into our country nineteen years back, our education system was still a pasture of GTM
which did not allow such innovation. That’s why, though, he opines, it was a
scientific approach to teaching and learning a second language, it could not hold a
strong position in our education system at the very outset. He believes the
fundamental problem of our education system “is that we do not have research based
orientation towards the changes” (Kabir, 2016).
Teaching and learning grammar is undeniable in the process of second language
acquisition. Basak (2014) comes up with the findings that grammar is not taught to
the students in Bangladesh following the communicative method. She pinpointed
several reasons for absence of communicative approach. The reasons include
students’ and teachers’ lack of interest in and awareness for learning and teaching
grammar, and “the use of traditional methods of teaching (p. 14).” Although the
English curriculum is established on the basis of CLT, GTM is dominant in teaching
and learning English in Bangladesh. Hasina (cited in Basak, 2014) finds out the fact
that, “most of them teach the rules of grammar deductively, through direct
demonstration in the classroom. And the students are taught to memorize the rules of
English grammar” (p. 11). Kabir (2013) also showed that “there is a random mixture
of CLT and GTM and the structural approach at the level of theories and practices in
Bangladesh” and “The situation is worsening due to the ill-planned presentation of
CLT in the policy documents along with the superficial conceptual orientations of the
teachers” (p. 70).
Kabir (2016), however, draws a distinct line of difference between the old
generation that learnt English grammar explicitly through GTM and the present
 Page |3

generation that mostly follows the CLT approach. He believes that the GTM
followers can read and write well but they have no or very little competence in
speaking and listening skills. On the contrary, the learners following CLT get the
opportunity to learn all the four skills equally though they, as Kabir puts it, “are good
at nothing, but workable in everything”. He expresses disappointment about the poor
state of education system in our country and suggests that a well-thought-out
combination of both GTM and CLT will work wonders to develop students’ writing
skills and that teachers’ speaking skills should be honed first to develop better
speaking skills in students.
To sum up, it can be asserted that in order to teach and learn a second language,
effective materials should be prepared in the first place. Expert teachers must be
selected to write materials. The teacher must have adequate knowledge of the subject
he/she is going to write a book on. Otherwise, the book will be lost to ineffectiveness
and will dead-end into nothingness.

1.2 Purpose of the Study

National Curriculum and Textbook Board, Bangladesh has prescribed a new English
textbook titled English For Today for classes XI-XII from 2015-2016 session. The
new textbook is replete with recent information on topical issues and hundreds of
activities prepared in accordance with the CLT approach. The new EFT is written in
order to fulfill broader objectives, come up with a great deal of learning outcomes,
develop all the four skills in students and make them able to use the target language in
real-life situations. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the new English for Today
(2015-2016) for classes XI-XII using both the external and internal criteria of
evaluation to find out the effectiveness of the book and how all the four language
skills have been treated in the book, and finally reveal the views and reactions of the
students and teachers on the basis of the quantitative data collected using
questionnaires. Moreover, the study is intended to find out whether the content of the
book complies with the students’ level of language competence.

1.3 Significance of the Study

English For Today prescribed by NCTB has been designed for more than 1.5 million
students at the higher secondary level in Bangladesh. The book carries a lot of weight
in the process of the second language learning as it is one of the two English books
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namely Paper One and Paper Two (both the Papers carry 100 marks each) included in
the English Curriculum 2012. EFT is used as a compulsory course to facilitate the
teaching and learning of English as a second language and therefore the material is
exceedingly substantial. As it is used by almost all the students at the HSC level in
Bangladesh, the book needs to be thoroughly evaluated to find out whether the
content conforms to the needs of the students and the objectives of the curriculum.
Moreover, English, being an international language, opens new doors of possibilities
for those who achieve English language competencies well. English skills are given
“inestimable value in the business environment” and that is why, the learners are
required to employ suitable tools (a proper textbook is one of the tools) “to be
progressive and competitive in the world market (Alamri, 2008, p. 1-2”. Materials act
as “an essential element within the curriculum, and do more than simply lubricate the
wheels of learning” and the most powerful thing materials do is to “provide concrete
models for desirable classroom practice” and “fulfill a teacher development role”
(Nunan, 1988, p. 88) cited in Alamri (2008, p. 3). It is evident that textbooks carry a
lot of weight and there is no alternative to an appropriate textbook. A study on EFT
will help to pinpoint the effectiveness and efficacy and at the same time the
insufficiencies and weaknesses (if any) of the book as fundamental materials.

1.4 Research Questions

The study has been conducted on the basis of the following two Research Questions:
i. To what extent is the textbook effective according to the level of the learners?
ii. How have language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) been dealt
with in the textbook?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The new English For Today (2015-2016) is very difficult for the students to
understand because of the use of difficult vocabulary in it and although the book, as
the writers claimed, is intended to teach English according to the CLT approach, all
the four skills have not been treated equally.

1.6 Limitations of the Study

Every researcher faces some certain limitations. I could not be an exception. The first
limitation on the list was scarce literature on EFT as the textbook has been prescribed
 Page |5

recently. I, therefore, found very little previous studies on this book. Another
limitation was the sample size which consisted of only 30 students and 3 teachers
from three colleges. In order to get more authentic research findings, many more
students and teachers could be interviewed. I had to face another problem with the
questionnaires. The questionnaires did not cover all the aspects that the process of
material evaluation requires.

1.7 Definition of Terms and Abbreviations

i. Materials: - anything that is used as a tool in the process of teaching and
learning.
ii. Evaluation: - this term denotes the act of making judgments about something
on the basis of criteria and evidence.
iii. Materials Evaluation: - a systematic appraisal of the value of materials in
relation to their objectives and to the objectives of the learners who use them.
iv. Analysis: - analysis refers to a thorough and minute examination of something
to have a clear understanding.
v. English For Today: - EFT is an English Textbook prescribed by NCTB for
the students of the Higher Secondary level in Bangladesh.
vi. Textbook: - a manual of instruction mainly used in educational institutions.
vii. ESL: - English as a Second Language
viii. EFL: - English as a Foreign Language
ix. ELT: - English Language Teaching
x. CLT: - Communicative Language Teaching
xi. U:- Unit
xii. L:- Lesson
 Page |6

Chapter 2
Literature Review

I
f we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

In this chapter I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of textbooks and the
reasons why materials should be evaluated with some references from previous
research works on textbook evaluation. The chapter is divided into six parts in which
the importance and the limits of textbooks, material evaluation, reasons behind
material evaluation, criteria for material evaluation and a review of previous studies
have been discussed individually.

2.1 The Importance of Textbooks

In the process of language learning and teaching the importance of textbook is
insurmountable. The new “English for Today (2015-16)” for the higher secondary
level students has been written to satisfy many needs of both teachers and students.
Textbook is a crucial element without which the smooth course of learning and
teaching is usually thwarted and progress takes a downward trend leading the future
of ‘language acquisition’ to a dead end. In the words of Hutchinson and Torres (cited
in Bahar and Zaman, 2013, p. 70). “textbook is an almost universal element of
(English language) teaching. Millions of copies are sold every year and numerous
projects have been set up to produce them in (various) countries… No teaching–
learning situation, it seems, is complete until it has its relevant textbook”
Without a relevant textbook students’ learning cannot take an organized shape up
to their expectations and we should, as Sheldon (1988) says, “concentrate on course
books because, whether we like it or not, these represent for both students and
teachers the visible heart of any ELT programme” (p. 237). At the same time,
textbooks play the most crucial role in controlling large classes and maintaining order
of teaching and learning process. “Such pedagogical experiences generate
expectations about what course book should contain, what it should look like, and
 Page |7

how it should be used. These perceptions are frequently carried over into
environments where more freedom and choice are in reality possible” (p. 238).
In the field of foreign language the use of a textbook is an established fact
although opinions of the theorists of this field about its importance differ. They can,
Yassine (2012) opines, in fact, be divided into two main categories: 1) those who
prefer to put forward to the advantages of EFL textbooks and, 2) those who are more
reluctant and prefer to warn about some problems that may result from any kind of
‘addiction’ to textbooks (p. 88).
Textbooks as materials foster the learners’ needs and it is one of most important
roles of textbooks. Haycroft (as cited in Tok, 2010, p. 508-9) found the existence of
psychological essentiality for the students in textbooks to be a great benefit because
he believed that by using textbooks the acquisition of knowledge can be measured
concretely.
Materials provide the teachers and learners with the same advantages and
conveniences (Richards, 1993) and they constitute an appropriate basis “on which to
mould the unpredictable interaction which is necessary to classroom language
learning” (O'Neill 1982, cited in Tsiplakides, 2011, p. 758). A good textbook saves
enough time of both students and teachers and at the same time it lessens expenses.
Awasthi (2006) maintains that materials act as “a guide for a teacher, memory aid
for the pupils, a permanent record or measure of what has been learnt (p. 1)”.
Textbooks are compilation of very many topics and they are arranged and divided into
units and lessons in an organized way. That is why, teachers do not need to spend a
lot of time preparing lessons for the students and the students also get a prepared book
which they can read even at home. In the words of Awasthi (2006), thus textbooks
“can reduce potential professional overload and provide the teacher with the
opportunity to give more time to other worthwhile pursuits” (p. 3). He also believes
that textbooks help measure the achievement of the learners as they (textbooks) are, as
he puts it, “psychologically essential (p. 3).”
The importance of textbook is undeniable and it plays diverse roles in the
classroom. If there were no textbooks, the teacher would have to spend a whole lot of
time preparing materials and the students would find themselves in a no man’s land
and at the same time teaching and learning progress would become slothful.
Cunningsworth (as cited in Balachandran 2014, p.73) mentions the roles materials
play in the process of teaching and learning languages. According to Cunningsworth,
 Page |8

materials prompt the acquisition of spoken and written skills and through materials
students can learn grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and can get stimulation and
ideas to perform classroom activities. Also, materials play the role of a syllabus by
determining how many learning objectives have been achieved.
In the ESL classroom, textbook is an unavoidable element and it is the most
effective tool of a teacher’s methodology. A textbook is mainly prepared in
conformity with the needs of the students and the teachers. Students can easily
determine how far their target is, how long they have come and where they are just
now if they have a textbook. Haycroft (cited in Bahar and Zaman, 2013, p. 70)
observes that “one of the primary advantages of using textbooks is that they are
psychologically essential for students since their progress and achievements can be
measured concretely when they use them”.

2.2 The Limits of Textbooks

Textbooks also have certain limits. A heavy dependence on textbook may eat away at
the interest of the learners and at the same time may block the possibility of coping
with present needs. Teaching and learning in the classroom become dull when there is
no variety in teaching procedures and not only that, heavy dependence on textbook
may cause a lack of creativity in teaching technique and language use. As students’
needs change from time to time and therefore, if the materials are not prepared to cope
with their needs, they may lose validity. Teachers are often found to be so much
dependent on textbooks that they use them “as their master and follow them as their
religious books” (Awasthi 2006, p. 3).
Ahmed and Narcy-Combes (2011) observe that when two different cultures are
placed together in the same ESL book, it creates cultural awareness. But there is also
a fair chance to give birth to controversies between the two cultures. For example they
hold that in an Islamic country pork meat is strictly prohibited but not in other
countries. If a textbook contains content inappropriate for another culture, it will
create cultural contradictions. Again Center for Monitoring the impact of Peach (cited
in Heyneman, 2006), found that one Palestinian textbook contained derogatory
remarks against Israel by worsening the already existing situation between the two
countries.
Graves (cited in Islam, 2013) discusses the disadvantages of using a textbook as
well. He mentioned eight disadvantages. The major ones among them were
 Page |9

irrelevance and inappropriateness of the content or examples to the learners, unequal

treatment of the aspects of language, outdated materials, lack of engaging and
interesting activities and exercises, content being too easy or too difficult for the level
of the learners.
Textbooks sometimes contain cultural and social biases that create a strong sense
of individualism among different social groups and a complaint against them has been
brought on grounds that they lacks ideal. Tsiplakides (2011) mentioned several
disadvantages of textbooks. According to him, coursebooks are inflexible and their
contents reveal cultural biases and also the biases of the authors. Also, textbooks may
contain inappropriate language and distorted texts and they may be costly
(Tsiplakides, 2011, p. 759).

2.3 Materials Evaluation

Materials evaluation is a process through which materials can be examined and
evaluated in order to find out whether it has achieved, is achieving or will achieve the
set goals and objectives. Through materials evaluation the publisher(s) or the writer(s)
can learn whether the materials are useful and effective for the learners, or whether
they can fulfill the needs of the teachers and learners, or whether they contain things
which may create controversies.
Tomlinson (2011) observe that materials evaluation is a systematic evaluation of
the significance and effectiveness of the materials taking into consideration their goals
and students’ objectives. He mentions that evaluation can be “pre-use” highlighting
“predictions of potential value” and “whilst-use” dealing with “awareness and
description of what the learners are actually whilst the materials are being used” and
finally “pot-use” which shows “what happened as a result of using the materials” p.
xiv).

2.4 Reasons for Textbook Evaluation

There are many reasons for textbook evaluation with one of the major reasons being
the necessity of selecting a course book and as evaluation is an integral part of
teaching and learning, it plays a dominant role in measuring how much the students
learn (Wahab, 2013). Textbook in an EFL/ ESL classroom is an important element,
which provides students with ample opportunities of using English for a variety of
purposes in interesting situations. Conducting a well thought out research in Needs
 P a g e | 10

Analysis is prerequisite for a Textbook. After the book is prepared, it needs to be

evaluated so as to measure its validity with the passing of time.
A textbook is an unavoidable element in a Bangladeshi classroom in the process
of teaching and learning a foreign language. As textbook is very important, it is also
vital to find a good textbook for study and to do that, evaluation is an essential
process. The content of the book should be thoroughly analyzed because if it contains
cultural biases, the learners will be misled. A textbook contains many texts on various
topics and it, very carefully, needs to be examined so that no culture is undermined
and ignored. Textbooks are intended to bring a nation divided by different attitudes,
beliefs, religions, values, customs, and traditions under one roof and therefore, they
should very carefully designed and evaluated so as not to mock and repeal any of the
peoples of a nation. Glenn’s observation (as cited in Heyneman, 2006, p. 70))
revealed that popular education was introduced not only to impart literacy or skills to
people; rather it was intended to have people share their attitudes and values among
themselves by thus leading to a broader society.
Again in a language classroom a textbook is necessary to carry out different
classroom activities designed on the basis of the texts used in the book and to find out
whether the exercises and activities are useful or not, analyzing the materials leads to
authenticity. A thorough evaluation of Materials designed for teaching and learning a
foreign language is required to find out whether the content conforms to the
objectives of the syllabus.
Without an effective textbook an effective learning environment cannot be
created. Effective materials are prepared according to the needs of the learners and
they should not be composed of topics which go beyond the level of the students and
of dull topics so that the learners do not lose interest in them. In order to facilitate
language learning, an effective textbook is necessary and without a textbook “there
would be lots of waste of energy and time” (Deuri 2012, p. 24).
Sheldon said (1988) “Textbook represents not only the visible heart of any ELT
program” (p. 237). She more argued that “textbook is regarded as the tainted end-
product of an author’s or publisher’s desire for quick profit” (p. 239). In this case
Textbooks must be evaluated thoroughly as “textbooks are used in different ways in
language program in various SLA contexts. The use of textbook for the purpose of
language teaching covers versatile factors although the significant focus is on the
learning procedure” (Bahar and Zaman, 2013, p. 70).
 P a g e | 11

Nazeer, Shah, and Sarwat (2015) held that the teaching and learning process
mainly relies on textbooks and proper evaluation and improvements of textbooks
result in ‘effective output’. They also believed that as textbooks are an instrumental
element in the process of teaching and learning, which controls, as the put it, “all
instruction largely”, textbooks containing all language characteristics are necessary
(p. 64).
A thorough evaluation of textbooks makes it evident that which books a teacher
should choose to achieve the objectives and goals of the curriculum. Through a
minute evaluation of textbooks, the teacher becomes fully aware of the weak and
strong points of textbooks and he can, then, select appropriate and useful one which
has the potential of meeting the needs of the teachers and the learners. Heyneman
(2006) maintained that textbooks, according to design and purpose, can be “both a
conservative and a modernizing influence” (p. 45). For example, he said that if only
the appealing design of textbooks was given more attention than learning outcomes,
textbooks would lose the pedagogical effectiveness and again if textbooks consisted
of “reinforcing directives and prescriptions” and contained “expressions of adherence
to a traditional discipline’’ (p. 45), they would not fulfill the needs of learners; rather
they would be a demonstration of the expertise of the writers only.
Textbook needs to be evaluated to find out whether both teachers and learners are
having no difficulty in adapting new textbooks. Textbook evaluation helps to
recognize specific strengths and weaknesses of textbooks which have been already in
use. Obaid (2016) remarks “The evaluation of textbooks seeks to identify any
weaknesses and strengths of textbooks and help in the selection process of a textbook
with the scope to minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive ones” (p.
235).

2.5 Criteria for Materials Evaluation

To anaylise ELT textbooks, various approaches can be employed. McDonough and
Shaw (2003) provide a two-level model for textbook evaluation: the external
evaluation and the internal evaluation with the first level including “criteria which
provide a comprehensive, external overview of how the materials have been
organized”. The external criteria include the intended audience level, proficiency
level, the author’s views on the language and methodology etc.
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There are some other factors to take into account at this external stage. The factors
are as follows:
i. Are the materials to be used as the main “core” of course or to be
supplementary to it?
ii. Is a teacher’s book in print and locally available?
iii. Is a vocabulary list/index included?
iv. What visual material does the book contain (photographs, charts, diagrams)?
v. Is the layout and presentation clear and cluttered?
vi. Is the material too culturally biased or specific? Do the materials represent
minority groups and for women in a negative way? Do they present a balanced
picture of a particular country or society?
vii. The inclusion of audio or video material and resultant cost. Is it essential to
possess this extra material in order to use the textbook successfully?
viii. The inclusion of tests in the teaching materials (diagnostic, progress,
achievement) would they be useful for your particular learners?

(McDonough and Shaw 2004, p-63-65)

On the other hand, the internal evaluation involves an in-depth investigation into
the materials. At this stage it is analysed that whether the factors in the external
evaluation stage conform to the internal consistency and organization of the materials
as stated by the writers or publishers as it is often seen that strong claims are placed
by the authors or publishers either on the blurb of the book or in the introduction.
Littlejohn (2011) mentions three levels of analysis to examine materials. He
emphasizes materials analysis so that teacher analysts’ examination of materials does
not limit itself only to different sections of the materials; rather teacher analysts will
also have to “move through different ‘level’ of analysis, making more and more
inferences- and subjective judgements” (p. 185). Littlejohn’s (2011) first level, mainly
highlighting the ‘explicit nature’ of the materials, centers on statements of description
covering the publication date, the intended audience, the type of materials, the amount
of classroom time and the use of the materials, and on, in addition to those, the
physical aspects of the materials (p. 186). The physical aspects include the published
form of materials, page number, use of colour and total number of components. The
division of sections is also found from the first level of analysis (p. 186).
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The second level deals with the most important aspects of the materials. At this
level of analysis, the exact roles of teachers and learners who use the materials are
inferred and then the materials are divided into their ‘constituent tasks’ to analyse
those tasks in turn (p. 186-88). Littlejohn (2011) maintained that “working through
materials in this detailed manner is likely to be very revealing of the underlying
character of the materials” (p. 190).
The third level discusses, taking into consideration the findings at level 1 and 2,
the conclusions about “the apparent underlying principles of the materials” (p. 197).
The first level of analysis describes the ‘objective nature’ of the material and the
second level deduces the exact roles of teachers and learners. At The last level of
analysis “the statements about the overall aims of the materials and the basis for
selecting and sequencing both tasks and content” are made (p. 197).
Ellis and Ellis (1987) mention three design criteria: relevance, accessibility and
cohesion to evaluate EFL course books. Relevance in the context of design, opine the
authors, “can spell the difference between excellence and mediocrity” (p. 92). In order
to examine relevance, the authors subdivide it into four categories: signposts,
audience, colour and mimesis. Signposts include the effectiveness of headlines head
sub-headlines in the textbook. Relevance to audience highlights the fact that the
materials should contain ‘‘sufficient variety of design to interest the learners” (p. 93)
and at the same time the cartoons and photographs and the density and variety of text
in the textbook should be appropriate for the level of the learners. Colour brings out
whether it has been used in a well-planned way and whether the layout is relevant to
everything else and mimesis deals with the inclusion of more realistic imitation of the
real world in the textbooks (p. 93-94).
Ellis and Ellis (1987) maintained that materials should have accessibility which is
comprised of three phenomena: the reading path, quality and friendliness. Materials
are easily accessible if the reading path is clear and the print quality of the textbook
should be given much emphasis. People cannot be taught forcibly; rather they “learn
faster when they're enjoying what's going on, and teachers teach better when they like
what they're doing” (p. 96). According to the authors coursebooks should be friendly
and they believe that “coursebook layout and design can help this process enormously
by helping teacher and student know precisely what is going on, and why” (p. 96).
The last criterion, cohesion, suggested by Ellis and Ellis (1987) centers on the
existence of unity among various components in the textbook. “Uniformity of page
 P a g e | 14

allocation to units”, relevant use of colour, consistent typographical and design

conventions and “the overall coherence achieved through the binding together of a
number of different and interesting components should be taken into consideration in
order to design a textbook” (p. 97).
Bruder (cited in Obaid (2016) mentioned a checklist including eight criteria to be
considered from the viewpoints of both students and teachers. The eight- criteria
checklist is comprised of level, objectives, style, language, age, time, convictions and
competency.
In the process of evaluating materials, many aspects should be considered. All the
authors above mentioned several criteria such as internal and external criteria
(McDonough and Shaw 2004), physical aspects of the materials, exact roles of
teachers and learners and aims of the materials (Littlejohn 2011) for materials
evaluation. Ellis and Ellis (1987) mainly emphasized the good graphic design of
materials to make them relevant, accessible and cohesive. In the present study,
however, the researcher has adopted the criteria suggested by McDonough and Shaw
(2004).

2.6 A Review of Previous Studies

Kabir (2013) evaluated the Class X Course Books- one was English For Today and
the other was English Grammar and Composition- by Classroom Teachers in
Bangladesh to “to analyse and evaluate the set of course books to find out how far it
offers ‘support’ and ‘constraint’ for practising teachers” (p. 64). All his 9 respondents
were teachers from rural areas. Kabir mentioned that in order to apply the CLT
approach which replaced GTM in 1996 English For Today was written on the basis of
the CLT principles to “test learners’ communicative competence in both the formative
and summative tests” (p. 64) while English Grammar and Composition was designed
on the basis of structural approaches.
Kabir (2013) again mentioned the ambiguous presentation of the construct of CLT
in various education documents with a clear reference to the curriculum which
pinpointed the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) to test learners’
communicative competence. He also found out that the curriculum put emphasis on
“using ‘culture specific texts’, dialogues, poetry and drama with integration of
structures, topics/themes, functions, situations, and vocabulary in communicative
contexts” (p. 65) and that the book contained culturally familiar topics which at the
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same time matched the age level of the learners and that high frequency words were
employed (high frequency words include words like ‘and’, ‘is’, ‘it’). He found that in
summative test the speaking and listening skills were totally ignored. The researcher
came up with the anomalies in the set of materials by mentioning that the curriculum
failed to reflect the proper application of CLT “in the examination-oriented
presentation of the learning items in the modified syllabus” (p. 65) and observed that
the two course books forking out in two different principles blurred the teachers’
perceptions of CLT.
The data analysis showed that the teachers were lacking in adequate in-service
training and that most of them were almost in the dark about the curriculum objectives
while some of them could mention several objectives with some suggestions to fill the
gap between the curriculum and the course books showing “their preferences for
grammar and translation” (Kabir, 2013, p. 66-70). According to the teachers, the
materials, as the analysis showed, were perfectly suitable for the learners but most of
the teachers said that the books were suitable for ‘only well-trained teachers’ (p. 66-
67). Kabir (2013) explicitly found out how different the curriculum objectives and the
practical field were. The findings clearly showed that the CLT approach could not
actually dethrone GTM 19 years back; rather it allied itself with GTM in Bangladesh
but such a random mixture of CLT and GTM was not warmly welcomed by Kabir
because he strongly believed that “undoubtedly, materials, in this context, work more
as a constraint than a support” (p. 70).
A textbook does have some certain qualities such as the content should be
interesting, the vocabulary should match the level of the students, it should have
adequate exercises etc. Deuri (2012) conducted an evaluative study of textbook. He
discussed the properties of a good textbook in the study. According to him a good
textbook has adequate subject matter, suitable vocabulary and structure, style (simple
to complex arrangement), exercises, illustrations and proportion and order.
Papajani (2015) evaluated the three EFL textbooks used in the High Schools of
Elbasan, Albania in the light of the EFL curriculum and the observations of teachers
and students. The three textbooks include “Blockbuster 3 for the 10thgrade,
Blockbuster 4 for the 11th grade, and Wishes B2.1 for the 12th grade. She is of the
opinion that “Choosing a course book is not a frivolous matter, so it should be made
clear what kind of English textbook fits best for the students of the High Schools in
Albania” and that one of the most important reasons behind textbook evaluation is
 P a g e | 16

“adopt new course books” (p. 7-8). In order to evaluate the textbooks, she made a
checklist which included thirteen features by analyzing ten EFL/ESL books. After
analyzing the three above-mentioned textbooks, Papajani (2015) found that the books
“to be qualified in helping the learners to develop the learning strategies” and
“designed to promote active, holistic and humanistic learning” (p. 14).
Her findings showed that there were authentic exercises and activities on
vocabulary and situational dialogues in the textbooks to teach students use English
correctly in real-life situations. The books contained a wide variety of reading texts to
help students develop reading skills and tasks which required the students to have
creativity to do (such as exploring grammar). There were also songs and game in the
books so that the students could learn the language with enjoyment.
Papajani (2015) also found that the books had well-planned and well-organized
tasks and activities on writing skill and they also contained cultural information about
the English-speaking countries by thus giving the learners an opportunity to know
about other cultures. The books also made room for autonomy and independent
learning for the students. For example the CD-ROM provided “fully autonomous
practice and consolidation of learning in all four skills through the state-of-the-art
visual, sound and graphic effects and the engaging, fully interactive tasks and games”
(p. 15).
In Iran, the extensively used textbook in EFL context is “Active Skills for Reading,
Book I” by Neil J. Anderson. Noordin (2014) evaluated the textbook in order to see
the suitability of the book according to the “universally accepted standards of EFL
textbook” (p. 618) and as an expected consequence “to help the curriculum
developers, teachers, and educational administrators to be able to make appropriate
decisions regarding the textbook selection and use” (p. 620). He used a checklist
suggested by Ghorbani (2011), which included:
i. “Practical considerations
ii. Skills
iii. Exercises and activities
iv. Pedagogic analysis
v. Appropriacy
vi. Supplementary materials, and
vii. General impression” (Noordin, 2014, p. 520).
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Noordin (2014) found the book appropriate and useful for developing reading
skills in the students. The texts were of realistic types and no errors could be found in
the book. The book lacked the integration of the four skills such as listening,
speaking, reading and writing with the speaking skills getting the least attention of all.
The exercises and activities in the book emphasized learner’s language development
and the development of communicative competence. The exercises and activities
mainly included a great number of tasks on vocabulary such as guessing meaning of
new vocabularies, finding synonyms and antonyms, word-related quizzes, work
puzzles etc. and they also allowed students to step out of a controlled environment
into a free one.
With regard to pedagogic analysis, the book had some limitations as it did not
contain as many quizzes about the achievement of the students at it needed and
although it provided the instructors with some mechanisms on how to give feedback
to learners, the instructors were unable to follow them due to the large size of the
classroom and time constraint. The book was appropriate as it contained useful tasks
and activities and realistic texts including a wide range of topics. In Iran, teacher’s
book was not available on the market and that’s why, the audio CD included with the
book was the only supplementary material. According to Noordin (2014), the
textbook mainly promoted the reading skills and the interesting activities motivated
students to engage in different tasks. Furthermore, it carried articles which were
conveniently applicable in multi-cultural contexts by thus making the book “largely
appropriate for application in the EFL context” (p. 521).
Noordin’s (2014) findings showed that 79 percent of “Active Skills for Reading,
Book I” conformed to the universally accepted standards of EFL textbooks and the
book was found “ to be appropriate in increasing the learners’ level of reading and
vocabulary competence, along with improving the use of reading strategies” (p. 522).
The findings also indicated that the textbook put strong emphasis on autonomy and
independent learning by allowing students expose themselves to a free environment of
learning.
Kabir (2015) evaluated the Anglo-Centric ELT textbook in Bangladeshi context in
order to find out how suitable it was to the level of the learners. He evaluated
Foundation English Course (FEC) Book-I&II which were used by the undergraduate
students of REC (Remedial English Course) programme at IIUC (International
Islamic University Chittagong). He found out that the local cultural context was
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ignored in the books. In language teaching, context should be given first priority.
Hymes (cited in Kabir, 2015, p. 13) maintains that in order to acquire a language, one
has to give importance to context first and not to language. Kabir believes that
learners’ schemata become active if the materials contain local context and he also
talks of ‘local identity’ which comes from ‘Home Culture’ making students more
enthusiastic in the process of learning the target language. In the words of Kabir, “It is
presumed that cultural appropriateness is one of the preconditions that make learning
easier and more effective” (p. 15).
From the analysis of Book I which consisted of Morphology, Syntax, Reading and
Vocabulary, Kabir (2015) found out that the book covered a wide area of Morphology
and Syntax but it seemed to be impossible for both the students and the teachers to
finish the lengthy discussion and innumerable exercises either in class or at home. He
noticed that the coordinator had to abridge the syllabus and maintained that all that
verbose discussion was to “serve only the ornamental purpose.” With regard to the
reading skills, he found that out of 30 reading texts, 14 of them were derived from the
culturally unfamiliar contexts consisting of totally alien issues and features.
After being analyzed, Book II, containing Writing and Speaking and Listening
skills, showed that most of the writing activities were not culturally relevant while
some of them were even very upsetting because the writing tasks contain foreign
names, unfamiliar places. The author said that the speaking activities appeared not to
be functional in the Bangladeshi context and “almost the same sort of Eurocentric
ideas / issues / facts / incidents / events / interactions /communications, etc. dominate
the listening part” (p. 23). The study revealed that the FEC book were not appropriate
for the learners as it was not prepared according to the socio-cultural background of
Bangladesh. Another reason behind the book not being inappropriate was the fact that
the book was never systematically evaluated to find out how effective the book was
and whether it could reach the objectives or not (Kabir 2015).
Nazeer at al (2015) evaluated (it was a pre-use and formative level evaluation)
Oxon English Textbook Used in Pakistan Public Schools for 6th & 7th Grade in order
to pinpoint their strength and weaknesses. The names of the two books were 1)
Concept Secondary English Book 1 for Class 6 and 2) Concept Secondary English
Book 2 for Class 7. The quantitative data analysis showed that activities on
vocabulary were given topmost priority and poetry was given the least importance in
the book for class 6 while the listening and speaking skills, as the analysis showed,
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were ignored. In the book for class 7 as well, the activities on vocabulary are
dominant and in that book comprehension covered 8 percent and grammar 26 percent
while like the book for 6, the listening and speaking skills were ignored in the book
for 7.
The qualitative data showed that the creative activities in the books conformed to
the set objectives. Attractive layout draws attention of the learners and motivates them
to seek more knowledge. The analysis showed that the print quality and the texts used
in the books were good while there were no audio/visual aids and teacher manual in
the books. The findings showed that the books had all the language aspects except the
listening and speaking skills. The findings further revealed that the four language
skills should be treated equally, audio/visual aids should be added, numbering and
font size needed revising.
Nasiri and Ahmadi (2011) conducted a study on the suitability of a textbook titled
‘Summit 2B’ using Mukundan’s (2004) retrospective evaluation criteria to find out
whether the textbook met the interests and needs of the learners and how vocabulary
and structures were treated in the book. They interviewed 150 participants to collect
the data. The data analysis showed that most of the instructors were found to be
satisfied with the topics used in the book as they could encourage their students with
them (topics) and also satisfied with the vocabulary and structures although the
‘subject matter’ got higher percentage that vocabulary and structure. The findings
showed that the researchers found the textbook ‘Summit 2B’ suitable for the
undergraduate students.
From the discussion above, it is very clear that textbooks are an essential tool in
the processes of teaching and learning a language. Much research has been conducted
in order to choose a good textbook for effective use in the ESL/EFL classrooms.
Careful examination and minute evaluation of materials is required to select the best
materials which have all the makings of fulfilling the needs of the learners.
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Chapter 3
Research Methodology

M ake it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself.

-George Bernard Shaw

Research Methodology centers on how a research is conducted and what procedures

the researcher determines to go through to collect and analyze the data. This study is
primarily a basic document analysis. As the research questions (see 1.3) denote, it can
easily be asserted that the answers to these questions basically rely on a thorough and
meticulous examination of English For Today. That is why, I have divided the
evaluation of EFT into two separate sections which are as follows:
i) English For Today: Micro and Macro Evaluation and
ii) Quantitative Data Analysis.
In ‘English For Today: Micro and Macro Evaluation’, as it was primarily a
document analysis, the external and the internal evaluations were given much more
emphasis than the quantitative data analysis. The external and internal analyses were
comprised of my own observations and examination of the whole EFT on the basis of
the two-level criteria (external and internal) of material evaluation suggested by
McDonough and Shaw (2003).
With regard to the quantitative data, it is important to note that it was a small-scale
research conducted in Dhaka and Narayanganj for the purpose of eliciting students’
and teachers’ views of the book in order to find out the effectiveness of the new
‘English For Today (2015-2016)’ and the equal applications of all the language
skills. To collect the quantitative data, self-constructed questionnaires were used.

3.1 Sample Size

The sample size of the research involved as many as 30 students and 3 teachers from
three colleges (2 colleges from Dhaka city and the other 1 from a rural area in
Narayanganj). 20 students from two colleges in Dhaka were interviewed while the
rest 10 were from a college in a rural area.
The names of the 3 Colleges from where 30 students were interviewed are given in
the following table:
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Serial No. Names of the Colleges Number of students

1 Government Tolaram College, Narayangang. 10
2 Dhaka City College, Dhaka. 10
3 Safir Ideal School and College, Dhaka. 10
Table 1: the names of the colleges and the number of the students

Three teachers were interviewed from the following two colleges:

Serial No. Names of the Colleges Number of teachers
1 Dhaka City College, Dhaka. 2
2 Safir Ideal School and College, Dhaka. 1
Table 2: the names of the colleges and the number of teachers

3.2 Instrumentation
In the present study, two questionnaires, each including 30 questions, were employed
to collect the data from the respondents. The questionnaires included both closed-
ended and open-ended questions. Out of 30 questions in the students’ questionnaire, 8
questions were in the open-ended format while the rest 22 were in the closed-ended
format and the questionnaire designed for the teachers contained 10 open-ended
questions while 20 questions were closed-ended. The questionnaires were prepared
keeping in mind the research questions which indicate primarily the importance of the
effectiveness of EFT and all the four skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and
Writing) of the language in the process of English language acquisition.

3.3 Data Collection Procedures

The questionnaires were handed to the students and teachers and were requested to fill
them up after careful perusal. Some students faced problems with the meaning of
some questions and I had to translate them into Bengali for them. In the case of the
teachers, they directly asked me to explain some questions if there was any ambiguity.

3.4 Data Analysis

As was said earlier, it is basically a document analysis and the research was divided
into two parts: 1) English For Today: Macro and Micro Evaluation and 2) Data
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Analysis. The first part was completely based on the criteria suggested by
McDonough and Shaw (2003) and the quantitative data collected from 30 students
and 3 teachers using a self-constructed questionnaire were analyzed and the results
were shown using pie charts and bar charts.
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Chapter 4
English For Today: Macro and Micro Evaluation

T
here comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and
closing the book.

-Josh Jameson

This chapter deals with the new EFT at a glance, summaries of all the lessons of EFT and
the internal and external evaluation of ETF followed by an interpretation of the evaluation.

4.1 The New English for Today - At a Glance

English for Today (2015-2016) for classes 11-12 has been prescribed by National
Curriculum & Textbook Board, Bangladesh (NCTB) and the writers are Kazi Mustain
Billah, Fakrul Alam, M Shahidullah, Shamsad Mortuza, Zulfeqar Haider, and Goutam
Roy. The book is edited by Syed Mazoorul Islam and Shaheen M. Kabir and
Coordinated by Md. Abdur Rahim and Mohammad Humayun Kabir.

4.2 Preface Summary: English for Today (2015-16)

EFT has been developed for classes 11& 12 by a team of experienced writers and
editors. According to National Curriculum & Textbook Board, “the book is based on
the principle that has guided the writing of the English For Today books from class 6
onwards- the principle of learning a language by actually practicing it” (EFT, p. iii). It
further says that “this practice, which is carried out through the four language skills of
speaking, listening, reading and writing, usually in an interactive mode, underlies the
communicative approach to language learning” (EFT, p. iii).
According to the preface the focus of the book is on communicative functions of
language, the main aim of the textbook is to provide ample opportunities for students
to use English for a variety of purpose in interesting situations. The new EFT is
divided into units and then each unit is subdivided into lessons containing reading
texts and a range of tasks and activities designed to enable students to practice the
four skills (Listening, speaking, reading and writing). The students can practice the
activities sometimes individually, sometimes in pairs or groups. Besides putting
emphasis on the four skills, some literary texts have also been included in order to
leave literary aspects unnoticed.
 P a g e | 24

NCTB claims that although much emphasis has been put on communicative
approach, the role of grammar is not disregarded. The book contains grammatical
items which will help students to go beyond a fixed set of rules and these items will
help them to communicate in a real life situation. NCTB says, “instead of treating
grammar as set of rules to be memorized in isolation, the book has integrated
grammar items into the activities allowing grammar to assume a more meaningful role
in the learning of English” (EFT, p. iii).
While writing textbook, writers are required to take good care of the content the
book will contain in order to make it effective. Otherwise, the objectives cannot be
fulfilled. In the very last line of the preface, NCTB expressed hope that “the new
Textbook will be an effective resource for the learning of English at this level (EFT,
2015, p. iii)”.

4.3 English For Today: Table of Contents at a Glance

This section presents a detailed description of the table of contents of English For
Today (2015-2016). In order to analyze the whole book, it is important and effective
to make summaries of the lessons to have a clear and unmistakable understanding of
the content. the EFT contains fifteen units and each unit is sub-divided into several
lessons. A summary of each lesson is given below:

4.3.1 Unit One: People or Institutions Making History

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 This lesson, mainly consisting of a report
Nelson Mandela, from published in Reuters on 15 December 2013
Apartheid Fighter to on the life of the great leader Nelson
President Mandela, deals with Mandela’s
uncompromising demonstration against
apartheid and lifelong struggle for justice
around the world. .
2 This lesson centers on the historical 7th
The Unforgettable History March speech delivered at Racecourse by
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, first
president of independent Bangladesh. It
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contains the whole speech.

3 The lesson “Two Women” is a text on two
women of extraordinary achievements. It
Two Women describes the achievement of Valentina
Tereshkova, the first woman to travel to
outer space and Kalpana Chawla, the first
Indian woman and the second from the
subcontinent to travel to space
Table 1:

4.3.2 Unit Two: Traffic Education

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 It describes the different functions of the
brain of human beings and a brief discussion
How Your Brain of how this sophisticated machine (brain)
Negotiates Traffic helps us to operate on diverse conditions on
the streets and helps us to drive vehicles
safely.
2 This lesson contains an article written by
Michael Hobbs titled “Welcome to the
Traffic Capital of the World”. The article is
written based on the firsthand experience of
the writer and highlights the abject situation
of congested traffic out on the streets of
Traffic Capital of the Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It also
World discusses many other problems cropping up
from heavy traffic and at the same time the
writer talks of an immediate relief from this
poor condition as the government of
Bangladesh announces its plans to build a
metro rail system and a bus rapid-transit
system from the airport.
3 The Traffic Police It is a heart-rending poem describing how
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vigilantly a traffic police performs his duty

in the middle of the road but nonetheless his
sweats and plights always go unnoticed.
4 From Phlippos Fylaktos’ This lesson describes a fascinating character
Film “My Brother, the of a traffic police featuring in a romantic-
Traffic Policeman” comedy film named “My Brother, The
Traffic Policeman” directed by a Greek film
maker Filippos Fylaktos.

4.3.3 Unit Three: Food Adulteration

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 The text is a shocking and horrendous
Food Adulteration Reach description of unbridled practice of food
New Height adulteration in Bangladesh. It displays a
threatening picture of unsafe levels of
pesticides used in vegetables and fruits. The
text also shows how adulterated foods are
silently killing thousands of people.
2 In order to show the learners the hazardous
consequences of overeating, this lesson has a
very interesting short story titled “The
Eating Habit and Hazards Luncheon” written by W S Maugham, a
British novelist. The story deals with a
woman who gobbles up dish after dish
pretending not to eat a single morsel of food
and boastfully declaring throughout the
whole time that she eats very little. At the
end of the story we come to know from the
narrator that the woman “weighs twenty-one
stone”.
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4.3.4 Unit Four: Human Relationships

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 Etiquette and Manners
2 Love and Friendship
3 Photograph
In this lesson, the text describes two terms:
etiquette and manners. This text centers on
learning socially approved behavior,
politeness, and discipline from a cultural and
traditional point of view. It gives several
examples of manners and describes, in brief,
the differences in etiquette and manners
from culture to culture.
The absence of true love and friendship has
been highlighted in this lesson. It is a song
derived from W Shakespeare’s play As You
Like It. The song focuses on the two more
important demands of human life: ‘love and
friendship’.
Photograph is a very riveting story with only
two characters: the narrator and his/her
grandmother. The story is revolved around a
photograph that the narrator of the story
found tucked in a box of old books. After the
narrator found the photograph, he/she
curiously ran to his/her grandmother to know
who the girl in the photograph was. Then
the granny’s childhood memories came
flooding back and she became nostalgic.

4.3.5 Unit Five: Adolescence

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 The Storm and Stress of As the name of the lesson indicates, the text
Adolescence consisting of six paragraphs discusses the
unavoidable transition from childhood to
 P a g e | 28

adulthood. The first and the second

paragraph deal with the processes of
transition and World Health Organization’s
(WHO) definition of adolescence
respectively. The third paragraph centers on
several key developments a child
experiences while the transition occurs and
the fourth paragraph lists several threats and
problems (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, drugs,
unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted
infections etc.) children may fall victim to
during adolescence. The fifth paragraph
refers to adolescence as a different
phenomenon from childhood and adulthood
while the last paragraph highlights
adolescents’ dependence on their families
and other social institutions and the society’s
and the family’s responsibility to them are
also enlisted very clearly.
2 Adolescence and Some The title of the lesson denotes what it deals
(Related) Problems in with. Five pictures at the beginning of the
Bangladesh lesson speak louder than the words. Like the
previous lesson, this lesson also consists of
five paragraphs with the first one discussing
adolescence, a period of life when transition
from childhood to adulthood takes place and
the second paragraph dealing with social
inequality Bangladeshi adolescent girls fall
victim to. The third and the fourth
paragraphs respectively spotlight early
marriage and the threatening social
intricacies (i.e. dowry, abuse) adolescent
girls face after their marriage. The fifth

3 Why Does a Child Hate In lesson 3, reasons why a child loves school
School?
4 The Story of Shilpi
P a g e | 29
paragraph very vividly shows how bleak an
adolescent girl’s world becomes when
society and her family force an alienation
from the outer world upon her leading her to
a dead-end where no information about
health issues is available. The last paragraph
displays a picture, though somewhat better
than the girls’, of the situation of adolescent
boys. It discusses the threats and
complexities adolescent boys face in society.
and why it hates school have been
pinpointed. It simply refers to pleasant and
learning-friendly environment in schools
where a child will not feel alienated or
shackled and it, at the same time discusses
the reverse picture in our schools where a
child gropes for freedom and is left without
much care.
This lesson is basically furnished with a
poem titled “The Schoolboy” written by
William Blake. The poem shows the
psychological disturbances in getting the
natural joy of learning. In the class he sits
idle and droops as the process of learning is
very dreary and tiring. The poet compares an
unpleasant environment of learning with a
cage in which he is captivated.
This lesson tells us a story of a 15 year-old
woman married off to a man named Rashid.
The text focuses on the awareness raising
social work she did after joining a local
empowerment group upon her marriage.
 P a g e | 30

There is also a statistical discussion in this

lesson about maternal mortality rate in
Bangladesh. The empowerment group made
her way easy to becoming aware of the
health risks and thus she and her supportive
husband discussed pregnancy with a
counselor and learnt how risky it was for her
to conceive at that age. She, despite her
mother-in-law’s pressure on her, could
eventually convince members of her in-laws
of the harmful effects of early pregnancy.
5 Amazing Children and This lesson features five children and teens
Teens Who Have changed namely Dylna Mahalingam, Alexandra
the World ‘Alex’ Scott, Ryan Hreljac, Katie Stagliano,
and Anne Frank who have changed the
world through their good actions and
examples.

4.3.6 Unit Six: Path to Higher Education

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 An “Eastern University” Rabindranath Tagore was one the greatest
by Rabindranath Tagore sons of the east and an uncompromising
proponent of education. This lesson contains
an excerpts from Tagore’s essay in which he
upholds the unique identity of Indian culture.
In this essay, Tagore emphasizes the
importance of nurturing and taking care of
India’s own culture. He also puts emphasis
on the fact that universities should never be
made into mechanical organizations for
collecting knowledge. In the last paragraph
of the excerpt Tagore gives a picture of the
educational institution he has built in his
 P a g e | 31

mind. According to Tagore, the primary

object of his educational institution is the
constant pursuit of truth and it should be an
open house so as not to be felt by the learners
as a dead cage.
2 Access to Higher This lesson comes up with a comparison of
Education in Bangladesh tertiary education between two categories of
institutions: Public Universities and National
University. It also discusses the emergence
of private universities in the 1990s.
This lesson in the second paragraph shows a
vivid picture of lack of opportunity to access
to higher education. Due to limited capacity,
a small number of students can make their
ways into degree awarding universities.
Denied of opportunity, students are amenable
to go to NU affiliated colleges and other
private universities.
In the last part of the text, the distinguishing
characteristics of Public universities in
Bangladesh are described and a table of
annual total intake and total number of
students in selected public universities has
been attached at the end of the lesson.
3 21st Century Higher It is a brief discussion over what the
Education characteristics of the 21st century education
should be like. Some skills suggested in the
lesson are as follows:
1. Power of critical thinking
2. Ability to use information properly
3. Solving complex problems
4. Creativity
5. Entrepreneurial thinking skills
 P a g e | 32

6. Communicating and collaborating

7. Innovation.

4.3.7 Unit seven: Human Rights

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 Are We Aware of These At the beginning, there are three pictures
Rights? -1 describing human rights violations. In the
short group work, students have been asked
to come up with answers to three questions
on human rights violations.
2 Are We Aware of These Lesson 2 discusses eight Articles (Article 12,
Rights? -2 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 21) of the
Declaration of Human Rights.
3 Rights to Health and Here in this lesson Articles 25 and 26 of the
Education Universal Declaration of Human Rights
about health and education have been
discussed and the students are asked to give
their opinions.
4 Amerigo, a Street Child The lesson begins with three pictures of
some hapless street children. The text tells
the students an agonizing story of a 13-year-
old child named Amerigo. The boy himself
is the narrator of the story. He describes
everything so simply and plainly that no one
will find a trace of agitation in his narration.
He, according his description, collected
trash, worked in an ice cream shop.
Despite being a stray child, he feels a strong
sense of superiority over his other friends
who work sorting rubbish in dumps and
catch fatal diseases. He tells us of the
harrowing experiences a few of his friends
 P a g e | 33

are suffering in factories and workshops. The

5 Human Rights
way he tells us about the miserable condition
he is in makes our hearts shake.
The lesson begins with a group activity in
which the students are asked to talk about the
child labor in Bangladesh. The focal point of
this lesson is the famous poem “Out, Out” by
Robert Frost, an American poet.
The poem tells us about a tragic and
touching story of a young boy who worked
in saw mill in rural New England and he had
to do a man’s work even without adequate
protections. One day his sister came to tell
him that it was time for supper. A hungry
soul is all ears when it comes to food. By the
same token, his concentration broke when
his sister announced the time for supper and
he got fatally injured by the saw. He was
rushed to the doctor but he cried to his sister
to tell the doctor not to cut his hand off. The
doctor tried his best but the boy succumbed
to death. After he was dead, people gathering
around him turned to their affairs. The
deceased was forgotten.

4.3.8 Unit Eight: Environment and Nature

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons

1 Water, Water The text of the lesson begins with an excerpt
Everywhere… taken from S T Coleridge’s poem “The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner”. The whole text
deals with the importance of drinking water
on one hand and the poor shape and
 P a g e | 34

apocalyptic situation of our river especially

the Buriganga that is already lost to the 4500
tons of solid waste the city of Dhaka
discharges into it every day.
2 The Hakaluki Haor The Hakaluki Haor, a huge inland open
water body, has been very nicely presented
in this lesson. It has a lot of natural
attractions which has made it a tourist spot.
3 The Giant Panda This lesson focuses on the safety of pandas
against the devastating effects of climate
change and the negative impact of projected
temperature increase in China on bamboo
which consists of ninety-nine per cent of a
panda’s diet.
4 Threats to Tigers of It is a report published in the online version
Mangrove Forest of the Guardian newspaper focusing on the
fate of the Royal Bengal Tigers. The report
deals with the fact that Bengal Tigers are
being rapidly destroyed by erosion. One
author of the report maintains that “a
continuing rate of retreat would see these
parts of the mangrove disappear within 50
years”.
5 Kuakata: Daughter of the This lesson describes Kuakata, another
Sea tourist spot like the Hakaluki Haor. Its
beautiful features attract thousands of
tourists each year because the visitors can
effortlessly watch the sunrise and the sunset
from the beach.

4.3.9 Unit Nine: Myths and Literature

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons


1 Bengal’s Face
2 Orpheus
3 The Legend of Gazi
4 Hercules
4.3.10 Unit Ten: Dreams
Lessons Titles
1 What is Dream?
2 Dream Poems
P a g e | 35
This lesson centers on a poem describing the
soothing natural beauty of Bangladesh. The
name of the poem is “I Have Seen Bengal’s
Face”, translation of Jibanananda Das’s
“Banglar Mukh Ami Dekhiyachhi”.
This lesson has been named after the son of
Apollo and the Muse Calliope. It is basically
a short and incomplete passage with five
important words missing and the students are
asked to fill in the gaps with words given
below.
The legend of Gazi revolves around the
mythological character Gazi Pir who is said
to have spread Islam in the southern part of
Bengal. He had a strong influence on
animals. He is said to have had the power to
tame dangerous animals and fought even
crocodiles.
Hercules, the son of Jupiter and Alcmene, is
a popular character in Greek Myths. This
lesson deals with the difficult tasks which he
underwent. These tasks are known as the
‘twelve labours of Hercules’. The text
contains the description of his first two tasks.
Summaries of the lessons
The lesson begins with a list of words related
to dreams and a discussion in pairs over
some questions on dreams. The lesson
contains a text describing what a dream is
and why we dream.
In this lesson two poems with the same title
 P a g e | 36

‘Dreams’ written by two poets namely D. H.

3 I have a Dream
Lawrence and Langston Hughes have been
discussed. Besides these poems, this lesson
has an introduction in which three English
poets have been very briefly discussed as
well.
The title of the lesson indicates what it is
about. The text is an abridged version of a
famous speech made by Martin Luther King
Jr. on 28 August 1963 in Washington D.C.
USA. In this speech, Luther has expressed
his dream about the expunging of a line of
difference between the Black and the White.

4.3.11 Unit Eleven: Diaspora

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 What is Diaspora? The discussion about Diaspora is the focal
point of the lesson. Diaspora refers to people
who have left their homelands and settled in
other parts of the world. The text begins with
the definition of the word Diaspora and then
gives some real life examples in relation to
the definition. As examples, in the text we
find the mentioning of three diasporas of
history namely the Jewish people and
Aryans from Central Europe and the
Palestinian diaspora.
2 ‘Banglatown’ in East The text is an excerpt from Nazli Kibria’s
London book ‘Muslims in Motioin: Islam and
National Identity in the Bangladeshi
Diaspora’. Here in this excerpt the
settlement of British-Bangladeshis in Brick
Lane, London has been discussed. How a
 P a g e | 37

new tourist to this city gets introduced with

the familiar cultural identity left back at
home has been nicely presented. In that area
there exist some Bangladeshi landmarks,
such as Altab Ali Park, the Kobi Nazrul
Cultural Centre and the Shohid Minar
Monument.
3 Bangladeshis in Italy Like the previous lesson, this chapter
discusses the settlements of Bangladeshis in
Italy. Between 200,000 and 600,000
Bangladeshis live in Italy. They are mostly
seen in Rome, Florence and Venice and the
ones the author saw had small to medium-
size businesses. The kindness and politeness
of the Bangladeshis living there in Italy have
been praised.
4 Bangladeshi Community in This lesson deals mainly with the history of
the UK migration from Bangladesh to Britain. How
Bengalese, especially people from Sylhet
made their way into Britain as labours and
how they integrated themselves there have
been discussed in this text.

4.3.12 Unit Twelve: Peace and Conflict

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 Definition, Causes and The lesson consists of two poems ‘The Lake
Types of Conflict of Innisfree’ and ‘September 1, 1939’ written
by W. B. Yeats and W. H. Auden
respectively. In both the poems man’s desire
for peace and the inevitability of conflict or
war have been expressed.
2 What is Conflict? Here in this lesson the definition, causes,
types and classification of conflict have been
 P a g e | 38

focused on. In order to define conflict it has

been described as a disagreement among
groups or individuals characterized by
antagonism and hostility. Three causes and
types of conflict have been given here: a)
economic conflict, b) value conflict, and c)
power conflict. Again conflict has been
classified into the following tour types:
a) Interpersonal conflict
b) Intrapersonal conflict
c) Intragroup conflict
d) Intergroup conflict.
3 Cruelties of Conflict In this lesson a very long poem (55 lines)
titled ‘The charge of the Light Brigade’ by
Lord Alfred Tennyson has been presented in
order to discuss the cruelties of conflict.
4 “The Old Man at the The text is an excerpt from Hemingway’s
Bridge” by Ernest novel ‘The Old Man at the Bridge’. In this
Hemingway excerpt, the author meets an old man who
left all his belongings behind to save his life
from the atrocities of the Fascists. It is a
discussion between the author and the old
man over the abject situation of the war-torn
life.
5 The Peace Movement The text discusses a peace movement that
seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of
a particular war, minimize inter-human
violence in a particular place or type of
situation, including ban of guns, and in often
linked to the goal of achieving world peace.
Several peace movements such the New
York Peace Society in the USA and the
London Peace Society have been mentioned
 P a g e | 39

in the text.

4.3.13 Unit Thirteen: Greatest Scientific Achievement

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 Some of the Greatest The lesson starts with a brief description
Scientific Achievements of about some scientific achievements made in
the Last 50 Years the last two centuries but the primary focus
of the lesson is on the achievements made in
the last few decades. In this lesson basically
six greatest scientific inventions have been
discussed separately in seven paragraphs.
The seven inventions are as follows:

a) The Artificial Heart

b) Cell phones
c) The Personal Computer
d) The First Communication Satellite
e) The Moon Landing
f) The Internet/World Wide Web
g) The Microchip
2 Science and Technology As the title denotes the lesson deals with
Against an Age-old advancement of science and technology
Disease against the age-old disease. The text is an
article written by Steve Reed, the founder
president of IDRI (Infectious Disease
Research Institute). Here in this text he
discusses how leprosy damages a human
body. After that he comes up with the good
news those scientists now have the key
solutions to eliminating leprosy in two
different ways. The first way is to provide an

3 Scientific Breakthroughs This lesson deals with some of the
We Are Waiting For -1
4 Scientific Breakthroughs Like the previous lesson, it also lists some
We Are Waiting For -2
4.3.14 Unit fourteen: Art and Music
Lessons Titles
1 What is Beauty?
P a g e | 40
early diagnosis of infection and the second
way is to develop a vaccine to be uses
therapeutically along with antibiotics.
breakthroughs which are yet to happen. It is
an article written by Jamie Frater. He has
mentioned some scientific breakthroughs
which require much more research and in-
depth study and which will be a great leap
forward into the ultramodern era of science
and technology. The breakthroughs are as
follows:
a) DNA Computer
b) Permanent Mood Base
c) Clean Energy
d) Cure for Cancer.
scientific breakthroughs which have not
happened yet. The write-up is done by the
same author as the previous one. In this
lesson Jamie Frater talks about three
breakthroughs which are as follows:
a) Manned Mission to Mars
b) Nanomedicine
c) Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Summaries of the lessons
In the text, a scholarly discussion about
beauty has been presented. The text contains
references from the works of poets and
artists who came up with the much-sought-
after answer to the question of what the
 P a g e | 41

important part of our life is: beauty or

ugliness, by incorporating both beauty and
ugliness.
The lesson also contains two poems in which
language celebrates beauty and truth. The
two poems are ‘She Walks in Beauty’ by
Lord Byron and ‘I Died for Beauty’ by
Emily Dickinson.
2 Folk Music When the word ‘Folk Music’ is mentioned,
the name of Fakir Lalon Shah comes up with
no trace of hesitation. He is the most
prominent figure in the mystic world of folk
music. It is basically an excerpt on Bengali
Folk Music written by the late Mridul Kanti
Chakravarty. This lesson features the
characteristics of Folk Music and the variety
of folk music in Bangladesh. The author of
the excerpt also talks about the influence that
folk music has on the lifestyle of the
different tribes.
3 Crafts in Our Time This lesson centers on the aesthetic beauty of
craftwork which is considered to be an
applied form of art. The invisible presence of
the maker’s ingenuity in a craftwork is an
inseparable part. In this text, the a clash
between handmade craftworks and
mechanically produced craftworks has been
noted and as result a concern about the
existence of handmade craftworks at the
arrival of scientific technology has been
expressed with disappointment.
 P a g e | 42

4.3.15 Unit Fifteen: Tours and Travels

Lessons Titles Summaries of the lessons
1 Travelling to a Village in It is an exquisite description of a
Bangladesh Bangladeshi village. The characteristics of a
village have nicely been described by an
English professor from England, who also
taught at the University of Dhaka. Village
ground covered with dust, paddy and coco-
palms, raised cart-tracks, a wooden bed,
chair and table, and groups of cottages
reflect the true picture of a Bangladeshi
village. The writer also describes how people
came to see her and how she crawled behind
the curtain when she was tired of being
looked at.
2 Arriving in the Orient The text is an excerpt from ‘Burmese Days
(1934)’ written by George Orwell. The text
describes the journey of an English woman
to Burma. The author gives a minute
description of the woman’s journey from
England to Colombo to Burma. At the same
time the author reveals a vivid cultural
picture of Burma during the colonial era.
3 Imaginary Travel The text is an extract from ‘Gulliver’s
Travels’ written by Jonathon Swift in 1726.
The extract begins with a discussion between
Gulliver and Reldresal, Principal Secretary
of private Affairs. The Secretary tells him
about the two struggling parties of the
Empire and also the poisoned animosities
between the two groups.
4 The Wonders of Vilayet The text is the description of the mid-
eighteenth century Vilayet (in Persian, the
 P a g e | 43

word ‘Vilayet’ is used to refer to England).

The excerpt has been translated from Persian
into Bengali into English. The book ‘Shigurf
Name-e-Vilayet’ written in Persian by
Sheikh I’tesamuddin who traveled to
England in 1765. He recorded his firsthand
experiences in England. The author tells us
about the then lifestyle of England. Then, he
describes how the King’s palace and the
Queen’s palace looked like and what fruits
and flowers were grown in the gardens and
what measures taken to grow Indian fruits
and flowers during the cold weather. The
author also gives a description of the park on
the other side of the palace with a pond as its
part. The surroundings are so beautiful that
the author compares the place with heaven.
In the words of the writer,
“If there’s heaven on the face of the
earth,
It is this! It is this! It is this!”
The author also draws a line of difference
between the ways the Bengalese and the
British make their houses.

4.4 Macro Evaluation

Macro or external evaluation centers on a comprehensive, external overview of how
the materials have been organized. A comprehensive, external overview of EFT for
classes XI-XII has been conducted by using the following criteria suggested by
McDonough and Shaw in order to show how effective the book is according to the
claims of the authors/NCTB.

4.4.1 The intended audience-the age level

 P a g e | 44

EFT has been prescribed by NCTB for classes XI-XII from the academic session
2015-2016. The book contains 13 poems and 6 other texts related to literary works.
Most of the poems (see U5:L3, U7:L5, U8:L1, U9:L1, U10:L2, U12:L3) in the form
of texts with no paraphrasing or understandable analyses. The book is intended to
teach students the English language and not to teach how to analyze literary pieces. It
is true that there are certain lessons which match the age level of the students but
much of the content of the book transcends the students’ language competence.

4.4.2 How has the language been presented and organized into teachable
units/lessons?
NCTB claims “the focus of English For Today is on the communicative functions of
language” and “the main aim of the Textbook is to provide ample opportunities for
students to use English for a variety of purposes in interesting situations” (EFT, 2015,
p. ix). If the purposes of the book are expounded on, we find that the textbook has
been designed to teach students how to use English in interesting situations and to our
ecstasy, the book, according to the claim, contains diverse aspects of knowledge
ranging from politics to social issues to science to human rights to education to myths
and literature.
Now let’s return to the question about the presentation and organization of the
language. When minutely analyzed, it is found that many articles available on the
internet and published in different dailies made their way into this book to bless
students with the gifts of “using English for a variety of purposes in interesting
situation”. But to our chagrin, the language used in this book frustrates both students
and teachers. Here are two excerpts from EFT as examples:
I am in a tiny steel cage attached to a motorcycle, stuttering through
traffic in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the last ten minutes, we have moved
forward maybe three feet, inch by inch, the driver wrenching the wheel
left and right, wriggling deeper into the wedge between a delivery
truck and a rickshaw in front of us (EFT, U2:L2, p. 20).
The excerpt above has been taken from the text which describes Dhaka as
the traffic capital of the world (see 3.4.2). The following excerpt has been
derived from Unit 6: Lesson 1.
Man’s intellect has a natural pride in its own aristocracy, which is the
pride of its culture. Culture only acknowledges the excellence whose
 P a g e | 45

criticism is in its inner perfection, not in any external success. When

this pride succumbs to some compulsion of necessity or lure of
material advantage, it brings humiliation to the intellectual man (EFT,
U6:L1, p. 68).
The difficulty level of these texts fails the language competence of the students at
the intermediate level. The book has a good many themes which promote the CLT
approach but it lacks the lucidity of the language. In fact, the communicative
functions of the language used in this book are not that much communicative. A book
is not a newspaper or a compilation of articles written by scholarly figures; rather it is
a process of translating complexities into simplicities and introducing students with
new things by summarizing and paraphrasing the scholarly articles or knowledge
beyond students’ level of language competence.
According to McDonough and Shaw (2004, p.63), “the materials will contain a
number of units/lessons and their respective lengths need to be borne in mind when
deciding how and if they will fit into a given educational programme.” EFT consists
of fifteen units which have been subdivided into 57 lessons. As the book is written on
the basis of the CLT principles, it has a number of activities preceded by each lesson.
Activities matching the real life situations are taken as tools in teaching and learning
in the CLT approach but the book contains very long texts and so many activities that
it is almost impossible to complete the lessons within one academic programme. For
example, U6:L1, U1:L2, U1:L3, U2:L2, U3:L2, U4:L3, U5:L5, U6:L1, U8:L2,
U8:L3, U8:L5, U10:L1, U10:L3, U11:L4, U12:L1, U12:L2, U12:L3, U12:L4, U13,
U14 and U15 contain very long texts followed by a big list of activities which do not
fit into the programme.

4.4.3 Are the materials to be used as the main Core course or to be

supplementary to it?
At the intermediate level, English subjects carry 200 marks. The English curriculum is
divided into two papers: Paper One and Paper Two, carrying 100 marks each. As only
the materials of Paper One are being evaluated in this thesis, the researcher is going to
present the use of EFT. EFT is the only course book prescribed by NCTB and this
book is used as the main Core course for the students at the intermediate level.
According to the English Curriculum for Eleven and Twelve classes (2012), the book,
 P a g e | 46

as the objectives and the outcomes show, has been designed to fulfill the students’
needs in order to achieve communicative competence.
The themes for the Paper One include “adolescence, travels and tourism, human
achievements in science and technology, myths and literature, traffic education,
human rights, peace and conflict, people or institutions that made history, jobs and
careers, diaspora, manners and etiquettes, human relationships, environment, cultures
around, dreams, music and painting, future challenges, path to higher education,
global English, natural disasters, and adulteration of food (English Curriculum for
Eleven and Twelve classes, 2012, p. 27)” which are integrated to be used as the main
Core course. The themes above are selected, presented and integrated in the book
according to the Curriculum. The Table of the Distribution of Marks for Paper One
has been given below:

Skills Total Test Items Notes

Marks
Listening 10 M CQ Test items must be
Gap filling newly prepared for
Matching each test by the
question setters
themselves on their
own.
Speaking 10 describing/narrating five to ten sentences
answering questions 5X1=5 used coherently with
based on everyday familiar acceptable English
topics/events/situations such as with understandable
family, school, home pronunciation
city/village, books, games and
sports, movie/TV show, recent
events and incidents etc.
Reading 40 (for the For text materials:
time being MCQ (guessing meaning from 05
60, until context)
listening Comprehension questions ( 10
 P a g e | 47

and open ended questions relating to

speaking analysis, synthesis, evaluation)
tests are Cloze test with clues 05
introduced) Cloze test without clues 10
Flow chart 10
Rearranging 10
Summarizing 10
For supplementary reading
materials:
Answering questions
Summarizing
Writing 40 Writing paragraphs answering 07
questions
Completing a story 07
Writing formal/informal letters 08
Analysing maps/graphs/charts 10
Appreciating short 08
stories/poems (identifying
genre, theme, subject matter,
and interpreting the content)
Table 3: the Distribution of Marks for Paper One

4.4.4 Is a vocabulary list/index included?

A vocabulary list either at the beginning or at the end of an English textbook is a
prerequisite for the students who acquire a second language as this list helps students
do a lot of individualized and/or out-of-class tasks. Materials providing a showcase of
vocabulary used in an English textbook at the beginning or end are useful both for
students and teacher since the list is an “indication as to how much class time the
author thinks should be devoted to a particular unit (McDonough and Shaw, 2004, p-
65)”.
Unlike the old English For Today, the new one does not contain any vocabulary
list either at the beginning or at the end of the book. With regard to the difficulty level
of the vocabulary used in this textbook, it can be asserted that frequency of bombastic
 P a g e | 48

words in the texts limits students’ exposure to an authentic written and spoken
language, and it goes against the principles of the CLT. Although no prepared or
organized vocabulary list has been attached to this book, each lesson is followed by
activities on word meanings. These activities contain select words most of which are
unfamiliar to students. But to the disappointment of the students, the vocabulary list
contains some words which they cannot find even in a dictionary, for example in
U5:L1, ‘provider attitude’. Again in U13:L1, there is no trace of the word ‘spam’ but
students have been given activities which require them to know well what that word
means.

4.4.5 What visual materials does the book contain (Photograph, charts,
diagrams) or is it there for cosmetic value only or is it integrated into the
text?
It is true that sometimes an image is worth one thousand words. A photograph related
to a topic allows a reader to guess the lesson to be discussed. There are as many as
108 blurry, faint, black and white photographs and charts in the book. With a few
exceptions, almost every lesson is decorated with to-the-point photographs and charts.
According to the guidelines for textbook writers (English Curriculum for Eleven and
Twelve (2012, p-34) “the textbook should be attractive and colourful. Illustrations
(charts, maps, photos, drawings, diagrams etc.) should be relevant to the
context/topics.” On close observation, it can be said that the images and charts are of
so poor quality that students need to read the text first and then flit their eyes from one
image to another to grasp them.

4.4.6 Is the material too culturally biased or specific?

Let us look back at English For Today: the Table of Contents at a Glance (see 4.3) to
find out whether the material is culturally biased or specific. The first unit (see 4.3.1)
begins with the history of great people. The unit features four great historical figures
from national to international arena. The first lesson is about Nelson Mandela and the
second one features the historic 7 March 1971 speech delivered by Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while the last lesson comes up with the history of two
women. If more closely analyzed, we find that the book begins with an equal, fair and
unbiased treatment to both men and women. Two great man figures, one from our
 P a g e | 49

own country while the other from another country and two great woman figures have
been presented in the first unit titled ‘people or institution making history’.
In the era of globalization, every nation is well aware of its own culture and
identity. Textbooks containing derogatory and vilifying remarks against or belittling
another culture will sure give birth to controversies between them. In this case, the
teaching and learning processes will undoubtedly be hampered. For example, Surkes
(cited in Heyneman, 2006, p. 75) revealed that one Israeli textbook said “Arabs are
extremists and we are more moderate. They murder indiscriminately and we defend
ourselves”. Such “inflammatory texts”, as Heyneman put it, “may destabilize not only
the country of origin, but also the region more broadly” (p. 75).
In Unit Two, Unit Five, Unit Six, Unit Eight, Unit Nine, Unit Fourteen and Unit
Fifteen (see 4.3) in EFT, the lessons show no signs or traces of cultural biases or
specificity. In these lessons both the national and international aspects have been
discussed simultaneously and it was found that no culturally derogatory or
inflammatory texts belittling or mocking attitudes, beliefs, religions, customs and
traditions of another culture existed in the book.

4.4.7 Does the content present minority groups and women in a negative way?
Does it present a balanced picture of a particular country/society?
As was said earlier, the book contains diverse aspects of knowledge ranging from
politics to social issues to science to human rights to education to myths and
literature. The content of the book comprises stories of great people, stories of poor
people, stories of helpless women, stories of craftsmen, stories of street children,
stories of children who changed the world and stories of human rights, all in a positive
way. Specifically in U11:L2 (‘Banglatown’ in East London), the pronoun ‘she and
her’ have been used instead of traditional ‘he, him and his’ to refer to a common
noun. Here is an excerpt from the text:
Today a tourist who is new to London may well decide to make her
way over to the East End of the city, to visit ‘Banglatown’. After
exiting the Tube Station there she might follow the signs that point to
Brick Lane…….......................................She may decide to try out one
of the many Bangladeshi restaurants she sees there for lunch (EFT, p-
135).
 P a g e | 50

In the book, women have been paid as much respect, support, and honour as have
been paid to men. U5:L4 (see also 4.3.5) tells the story of a woman named Shilpi who
joins a local empowerment group and becomes aware of the health risks during
pregnancy. Finally she can overcome the harmful effects of early pregnancy.
Nowhere in the lesson was it mentioned whether it was a true story. In fact, this story
represents all the women like Shilpi in Bangladesh and in the world by indicating
their share of human rights.
Again, U14:L2 (Folk Music) shows, with no sign of negativity, how the culture
and the lifestyle of different tribes have influenced folk music. In the book minority
groups and women have not been the victims of biasness or inequity; rather the
content speaks for their rights and social equity. At the same time, the book contains
pictures, though of poor quality, of countries and society in a balanced way.

4.5 Micro Evaluation

Macro or internal evaluation deals with an in-depth investigation into the materials.
The thorough investigation in EFT for classes XI-XII has been conducted by using the
following criteria suggested by McDonough and Shaw (2003) in order to find out how
the language, language skills, exercises etc. have been organized and presented in the
book.

4.5.1 The presentation of skills in the materials- are all the language skills
covered appropriately? Are the skills treated in an integrated way?
The table (see 4.4.3) of marks distribution shows that each of the four skills carries
certain marks. The first two objectives of English Curriculum are “to acquire
competence in four language skills, i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing” and
“to use the competence for effective communication in real life situations locally and
globally at intermediate level (English Curriculum for Eleven and Twelve (2012, p.
25).”
Now let’s see whether all the language skills have been covered appropriately
in the book.
4.5.1.1 Reading Skills: The test items on reading skills carry 40 marks. The
book contains 57 lessons in which 55 have reading comprehensions while two
lessons have no texts except for some activities. The content will no doubt
increase students’ reading skills as it presents before the students a huge
 P a g e | 51

concatenation of reading comprehensions dealing with diverse aspects of life.

There are reading texts on history, on science, on human rights, on health, on
education, on myths and literature, on tours and travel etc. through which
students will be able both to develop reading skills and acquire the
contemporary knowledge.
4.5.1.2 Writing Skills: Like the reading skills, English curriculum puts
emphasis on the writing skills as well. The test items on writing skills also
carry 40 marks. Much of the huge bulk of activities after each lesson is
designed to develop writing skills in students so that they can develop
creativity and critical thinking through English language. Activities after each
lesson consist of 4 to 11 exercises most of which are on writing skills. There
are hundreds of questions to answer, blanks to fill in, words to make sentence
with, topics to write about, topics to write compositions on, tasks on summary
writing, tasks on writing arguments etc. in the activities and all the activities
match real life situations.
4.5.1.3 Listening and Speaking skills: The test items on listening and
speaking skills carry 20 marks, 10 marks each. The book has a lot of activities
on speaking but to the students’ utter disappointment, there is not a single
exercise on listening skills. There are a great number of dialogues, pair
discussions, group discussions, debates to develop students’ fluency and
accuracy in speaking.
In order to discuss what ‘integrated skills’ are, Nunan’s (1989, cited in
McDonough and Shaw, 2003, p-178) seven principles should be mentioned. His
principles include authenticity, task continuity, real-world focus, language focus,
learning focus, language practice and problem solving.
EFT teaches reading skills, writing skills and speaking skills but no listening
skills. Now comes the question “can the integration of language skills be possible
without listening skill?” The answer is an unequivocal no. Although the three skills
abound in the book, yet all the language skills are not treated in an integrated way in
EFT.

4.5.2 The grading and sequencing of the materials

Materials can be graded based on a lexical frequency count, and on the unit allowing a
progression of difficulty in a linear fashion while some materials can be graded by
 P a g e | 52

grouping a set of units as approximately at the same level. Both teachers and students
find it easy to use a textbook if it maintains certain sequences. The content of English
For Today is not graded in any sequence. After history comes traffic education, then
food adulteration and after that comes human relationships followed by adolescence
maintaining no grading and sequencing of materials. The lessons are also not graded
based on a lexical frequency count. For example, in the very first lesson, we find more
lexical density than in U7:L4 (Amerigo, a street child). The content is not graded from
simple topics to complex ones, not is it graded according to lexical frequency counts.

4.5.3 Where reading skills are involved, is there enough opportunity for the
students to practice those skills beyond the text?
EFT puts emphasis more on reading and writing skills than on listening and speaking
skills. The whole book is honeycombed with reading texts and a good number of texts
have been derived from the internet. Some reading activities in the book require
students to surf the internet and come up with answers. For example, the warm-up
activities in U10:L4 and U12:L3 provide students with the opportunity to practice
reading skills beyond the text. The warm-up activity in U12:L3 is as follows:
“The poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ is about a real war that
took place in 1854. Go to the net and find out more about the war, its
historical background, and parties involved in the war (English For
Today (2015-16) p-153).”
In U2:L4, there is another task:
“Go to Google and find out more about the film..........................If
possible, watch the film on the You Tube (EFT, p-27).”
In addition to the references above, after each lesson there are a reasonable
number of questions, which give students the opportunity to go beyond the text in
search of the right answers.

4.5.4 Where listening skills are involved, are recordings ‘authentic’ or

artificial?
There are no CDs, recordings or activities on listening skills in EFT.

4.5.5 Do speaking materials incorporate what we know about the nature of real
interaction or are artificial dialogues offered instead?
 P a g e | 53

The main objective of the CLT approach is to apply the target language in real life
situations and that is why importance of speaking skills is undeniable. Lessons in EFT
contain exercises which require students to give instructions, directions, requests,
announcements (U4:L1), narrate incidents and events in a logical sequence (U2:L4),
describe people, places, and different cultures (U1:L1), ask for and give suggestions
or opinions, tell stories (U4:L3), discuss health issues (U3:L1), present findings orally
(U7:L5), and respond accordingly in social situations. Therefore, EFT incorporates
what we know about the nature of real life interaction.

4.5.6 The relationship of tests and exercises to (a) student needs, and (b) what is
taught by the course material.
EFT is designed and prescribed to facilitate the process of the second language
acquisition for the students of Bangladesh. After a minute analysis, it is found that the
tests and exercises (i.e. in U1:L1, U2:L4) more often than not go beyond the level of
students’ needs and language competence. In U5:L4 (see 4.3.5) the text is about a 15
year old girl who was married off to Rashid in 2008 but the main activity contains a
statistical graph followed by a huge passage with gaps in the middle to fill in.

4.5.7 Are the materials suitable for different learning style? Could they be used
in Self-study mode?
EFT is a good collection of reading texts, writing activities, and speaking tasks to
facilitate the second language acquisition. Although most of the texts are swarmed
with bombastic words and students virtually dare to venture into self-study, the book
is suitable for different learning style as it contains ample exercises and activities
which allow students to go to the net on their own and use this book in self-study
mode. Besides, there are a good number of activities which require students to surf the
net to find out the answers.

4.5.8 Are the materials sufficiently ‘transparent’ to motivate both students and
teachers alike?
Every material should possess the power of motivating both teachers and learners.
According to Cunningsworth (1995: 16, cited in McDonough and Shaw, 2003, p-70),
“some materials may seem attractive for the teacher but would not be very motivating
for the learners”. The length of the texts and more activities than necessary may
 P a g e | 54

discourage both teachers and learners from acquiring the target language with
spontaneity. EFT consists of many texts and activities which seem extremely tiring to
both the students and teachers. For example two of the longest texts U3:L2 (Eating
Habit and Hazards) and U6:L1 (‘An Eastern University’ by Rabindranath Tagore)
contain 12 activities each and they consume an awful lot of time.
The book also have many activities, for example U8:L1, L5, U13 and U14:L1,
which put extra stress on students and much use of literature thwarts the flow of
language learning at this level of education as literature claims much concentration
and critical thinking that students at this level lack. EFT hardly motivates teachers and
students as it presents its content in a very difficult way.

4.6 Interpretation of the evaluation

The book does not match the needs of the intended audience as a huge bulk of its
content transcends the level of the students. It is also found that the book is swarmed
with many difficult, long and scholarly texts which hinder students’ flow of language
acquisition. But it has a great number of activities and exercises which conform to the
principles of the CLT approach. The book, like the previous one, has no vocabulary
list at the beginning or end of it. This book is a rich storehouse of very difficult words
which award the students with a sharp rise in their affective filter. With regard to the
photographs, images, charts and tables used in the book, almost all of them are related
to the context although funnily enough there is no photograph or image in the lesson
titled “photograph”. It was also found that book does not contain any cultural biases
and show any sign of negative views about women and minority group. All the units
and lessons are not about men and women in EFT. But there are lessons describing
men and women showing respect and honour as equally as possible.
The book contains a huge number of classroom activities and exercises on
reading, writing and speaking skills but not a single task on listening skills. The
listening skills are completely ignored in the book. Someone may think that there are
a lot of exercises on speaking skills and say that when a group of students speak, the
others must listen, why does it need extra activities on listening skills? The table of
the distribution of marks (see 4.4.3) shows that NCTB has reserved 10 marks for
listening tests in the final exam. Does it make sense that a group of students will
speak and the other group will get 10 marks by listening to it with showing no
concrete presentation of the skills or writing nothing on the scripts?
 P a g e | 55

No sequencing of the content has been maintained in the book and an easy lesson
comes after a difficult one and vice versa. With regard to reading skills, the book is
replete with reading texts but some units contain lessons, which require students to
access the internet. But neither all the institutions nor all the students are in a ‘we-can-
access-the-internet-whenever-we-want’ situation. Thus the book creates a line of
difference between the urban and the rural educational institutions and students.
Again, as far as the speaking skills are concerned, a handful of educational institutions
have audio and visual materials to facilitate speaking skills. The internal and external
evaluations show that the book has a great number of texts and exercises which are
very tiring and difficult to deal with.

4.7 EFT beyond the internal and external evaluation.

This part deals with some unavoidable points to be made about EFT. These points
could be subsumed neither under the internal and external evaluation nor under the
quantitative data analysis. The other facts of EFT are as follows:
4.7.1 Demonstration of backdated statistics
i. Page ii of EFT shows that its first edition was published in July, 2015 but
the backdated statistics were huddled into the book to discuss things which
kept changing with time. EFT book shows, referring to the 2007 and 2009
statistics of health profile of Adolescent and Youth in Bangladesh, that
“there are 28 million adolescents in Bangladesh” (p. 51). On the contrary, a
report published in the Daily Star on December 09, 2014 (modified on May
23, 2015) shows that there are 52 million adolescents in Bangladesh. There
is a big, big gap of 24 million adolescents between the old statistics and the
recent information!
ii. An activity (EFT, p. 61) consists of a black and white graph showing a
2007 statistics of married women experiencing physical or sexual violence
in Bangladesh. We cannot differentiate between the percentage indicating
physical violence and the percentage indicating sexual violence. The graph
looks almost like the one below.
 P a g e | 56

50 45.2 42.3
39.8
40 35.3
30 22.2
20.2
20 16.8
11.8
10
0
15-19 20-24 15-19 20-24

physical violence sexual violence

In the graph, we see something but we cannot say “we see exactly what!”
iii. In U11:L3 (EFT, p. 139), the article shows that there are 200,000 to
600,000 Bangladeshis in Italy and again in another article in U11:L4 (FTP,
p.143), it is found that according to the 2001 census, 283,063 Bangladeshis
lived in the UK. But recent statistics shows that as of 2013 there are
100,000 Bangladeshis are living in Italy and the 2011 census demonstrates
that there are 451,529 Bangladeshis are living in the UK. Nowhere in the
texts were the most recent developments added to keep the students
updated. Students will only find information which is no more valid.
4.7.2 Detected errors
i. “one of the sources of water in our country are the rivers” (EFT, p. 94).
“are” should be made “is”.
ii. “Fishing boats plying in the Bay of Bengal with colourful sails, surfing
waves and the lines of coconut trees add to the vibrant colours Kuakata”
(EFT, p. 109). There should be a preposition before the word “Kuakata”.
iii. “What do these words mean in the context they have been used in the
text”, (EFT, p. 110).
iv. “aswaths bats” (EFT, p. 111). The word correct word is “Aswatha” (EFT,
p. 111). The words should be like “Aswatha bats”
v. “Where is Ganguri and Amara?” (EFT, p. 112). This sentence should be
like “where are Ganguri and Amara?” as Ganguri and Amara indicate the
names of two different places.
 P a g e | 57

Chapter 5
Quantitative Data Analysis and Findings

T
hat is a good book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit.

-Amos Bronson Alcott

In order to evaluate certain materials, the observations and reservations of their users
are undeniably required to take into consideration. Students’ and teachers’ views and
reactions to materials help decide how good the materials are. The researcher had to
go physically to the participants for collecting the required data. The quantitative data
collected from 30 students and 3 teachers using a self-constructed questionnaire has
been analyzed in this section and the results have been shown using pie charts and bar
charts.

5.1 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Students’ Views

This section deals with the analysis of the data collected from 30 students. Each
question has been interpreted with a chart. The charts show the numerical description
of the result while a brief interpretation follows. In the interpretation below every pie
chart, the numerical expression in parentheses immediately after the percentage (%)
indicates “the number of students” (i.e. 50% (15), here 15 indicates the number of
students)).

5.1.1 Do you think that English For Today book is appropriate for your age
level?
Yes, it is appropritate
No, it is more advanced than our level
No, it is less advanced than our level
No, it is less
Yes, it is
advanced
appropritate
than our level
56%
7%
No, it is more
advanced
than our level
37%

Chart 1: appropriateness for the age level

 P a g e | 58

When the students were asked whether EFT is appropriate for their age level, 57%
(17) of them said yes it was appropriate. Among the rest 37% (11) said that it is more
advanced than their age level while 7% (2) said the opposite: it is less advanced than
their age level.
5.1.2 Does English For Today have a complete and detailed table of contents?

yes No

No, 33%

yes, 67%

Chart 2: a complete and detailed table of contents

In answer to this question, 67% (20) students said that EFT has a complete and
detailed table of contents whereas 33% (10) replied in the negative.
5.1.3 Do you like the print quality of this book?

yes No

yes, 43%

No, 57%

Chart 3: the print quality of this book

About the question whether they like the print quality of EFT, 57% (17) of the
students said that they did not like the print quality while 43% (13) of them liked it.
5.1.4 Do you think that the quality of the photograph and images should have
been better?

yes No

No, 37%
yes, 63%

Chart 4: the quality of the photograph and images

 P a g e | 59

When the students were asked whether the quality of the photograph and images
should have been better, 63% (19) students said that the photograph and images
should have been better and 37% (11) of them are satisfied with their quality.
5.1.5 Does your English teacher use any kind of technological instruments in
the class while using this book?

yes No

yes, 13%

No, 87%

Char 5: Use of technological instruments in the class

In response to the question, 87% (26) of the students said that no technological
instruments are used in the class room while using this book while 13% (4) of them
said yes.
5.1.6 Does your English teacher suggest you the name of any supplementary
book while using this book? If yes, write the names.

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer ,
3%

yes, 50%

No, 47%

Chart 6: any supplementary book while using this book

50% (15) of the students said that their teacher suggests them a supplementary
book while 47% (14) of them said no. among all the participants 3% (1) did not give
answer. All the 50% students wrote that their teacher suggested them “Advanced
Learner’s Communicative English by Chowdhury and Hussain.
 P a g e | 60

5.1.7 Do you use any reference book while using this textbook?

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer , 3%

No, 27%

yes, 70%

Chart 7: any reference book while using this textbook

In reply to the question above, 70% (21) students said that they use a reference
book while 27% (8) said they do not use any reference book. 3% (1) of them did not
answer the question.
5.1.8 Do you think that the photographs, diagrams, and charts which have been
used in this book are related to the context?

yes, I think they are relevant

No, I do not think so
Sometimes I find them related to the context

Sometimes I
find them
related to the
context , 23%

yes, I think
they are
relevant , 60%
No, I do not
think so, 17%

Chart 8: the photographs, diagrams, and charts

When they were asked about the relevance of the photographs, diagrams and
charts to the context, 60% (18) of the students said that they were related to the
context and 17% (5) found no relevance while 23% (7) of them said that they
sometimes found them related to the context.
 P a g e | 61

5.1.9 The content of the book is free from traditional images and information.

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Did not answer

Strongly 7%
disagree 7% Agree
43%

Disagree
33%

Strongly agee
10%

Chart 9: traditional images and information

In answer to the question whether the book is free from traditional images and
information, 43% (13) students agreed and 10% (3) strongly agreed to the question
while 33% (10) disagreed and 7% (2) strongly disagreed that the book was free from
the traditional images and information. 7% (2) of the students did not answer.
5.1.10 Do you think that the book should contain more photos, diagram and
charts?

yes, I want see some more No, they are enough

Did not answer
Did not
answer , 3%

No, they are

enough, 23%

yes, I want
see some
more , 73%

Chart 10: more photos, diagram and charts?

73% (22) students wanted to see some more photos while 23% (7) were satisfied
with the existing ones. 3% (1) said nothing.
 P a g e | 62

5.1.11 Do you think that this book is culturally biased? If yes, why?

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer , 13%
yes, 20%

No, 67%

Chart 11: the book is culturally biased

When the students were asked whether the book is culturally biased, 20% (6) said
yes, 67% (20) said no while 13% did not say anything. The 20% students who found
that the book is culturally biased explained that the book contains many more lessons
on foreign cultures than necessary.
5.1.12 Do you think the materials in this book are arranged in an organized
way?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree

Strongly disagree Did not answer

Did not
Strongly answer
disagree 0% 3%
Disagree
20%

Agree
60%

Strongly agee
17%

Chart 12: the materials in this book are arranged in an organized way
About the organization of the materials 60% (18) agreed and 17% (5) strongly
agreed that the materials were well organized while 20% (6) disagreed that the
materials were organized. 3% (1) of them did not answer.
 P a g e | 63

5.1.13 Do you think that English For Today book needs Audio/Visual materials
to make students’ concept clearer?

Absolutely Not necessary

Not
necessary ,
17%

Absolutely ,
83%

Chart 13: needs of Audio/Visual materials to make students’ concept clearer

When they were asked whether they needed audio/visual materials to make their
concept clearer, 83% (25) of them absolutely needed them whereas 17% (5) did not
need any audio/visual materials.
5.1.14 Are the content and the exercises relevant to each other?

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer , 7%

No, 13%

yes, 80%

Chart 14: the content and the exercises relevant to each other
In answer to the question above, 80% (24) students said that the content and the
exercises were relevant and 13% (4) students found no relevance while 7% (2) did not
answer the question.
 P a g e | 64

5.1.15 Does the book have exercises for classroom activity?

yes, It has a lot of exercises

Not at all
It has some exercises for classroom activity yes, It has a
lot of
It has some exercises,
exercises for 37%
classroom
activity , 40%

Not at all ,
23%

Chart 15: exercises for classroom activity

When the students were asked whether the book had exercises for classroom
activity, 37% (11) of them said it had a lot of exercises while 40% (12) students said it
had some exercise for classroom activity. 23% (7) said there was no exercise for
classroom activity.
5.1.16 Is the vocabulary list included with this book?

Sufficient Inadequate Not included

Sufficient ,
23%

Not included, Inadequate ,

60% 17%

Chart 16: the vocabulary list

Among the participants, 60% (18) said that no vocabulary list was included with
the book while 23% (7) said it was sufficient and 17% (5) said it was inadequate
respectively. But the truth is that the book had no vocabulary list either at the
beginning or at the end.
 P a g e | 65

5.1.17 Is the vocabulary used in the book appropriate for your level of language
competence?

It is easy It is very easy It is difficult It is very difficult

It is very It is easy ,
difficult , 30% 23%

It is very
easy, 0%

It is difficult ,
47%

Chart 17: whether the vocabulary is appropriate

When the students were asked about the appropriateness of the vocabulary for the
students’ level of language competence, 47% (14) said it was difficult and 30% (9)
said it was very difficult while 23% (7) said that it was easy.
5.1.18 Do you find your book suitable for self study or do you always need
teacher’s help?

I need teacher's help while reading this book

I can study this book alone
Sometimes I need teacher's help
Sometimes I I need teacher's
need teacher's help while
help, 50% reading this
book, 40%

I can study this

book alone ,
10%

Chart 18: suitable for self study or students need teacher’s help
In reply to the question above, 40% (12) students said that they needed teacher’s
help while reading the book whereas 50% (15) said that they sometimes needed
teacher’s help. 10% (3) of them said that they could study that book alone.
 P a g e | 66

5.1.19 Do you feel any difficulty using this book? If yes, please explain the
reason.

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer , 6%

No, 27%

yes, 67%

Chart 19: difficulty using this book

67% (20) of the students said that they felt difficulty in using that book while 27%
(8) of them felt no difficulty. 6% students did not answer the question.
5.1.20 Do you agree that the book expresses positive views of ethnic origins,
occupations, age group, social groups and disability?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Strongly Did not answer

disagree 0% 3%
Disagree
3%

Agree
77%

Strongly agee
17%

Chart 20: positive views of ethnic origins, occupations, age group, social groups
and disability
77% (23) students agreed and 17% (5) strongly agreed that the book expressed
positive views of ethnic origins, occupations, age group, social group and disability
whereas 3% (1) disagreed to and 3% (1) did not answer the question.
 P a g e | 67

5.1.21 Choose which technological instruments the teacher uses (in any).

Multimedia Computer Visual aids Audio aids Did not answer

Multimedia ,
10%
Did not answer,
30% Computer , 7%

Visual aids,
23%

Audio aids ,
30%

Chart 21: technological instruments the teacher uses

10% (3) students said that the teacher used multimedia, 7% (2) said computer,
23% (7) said visual aids, 30% (9) said audio aids while 30% (9) did not answer the
question.
5.1.22 Are there adequate exercises after each lesson in English For Today?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Strongly
disagree Did not answer
0% 3%
Disagree
27%

Agree
60%

Strongly agee
10%

Chart 22: exercises after each lesson

60% (18) of the students agreed and 10% (3) strongly agreed that there were
adequate exercises after each lesson in EFT while 27% (8) disagreed and 3% (1) did
not answer.
 P a g e | 68

5.1.23 Which skills can you improve by reading English For Today book? You
can choose MORE THAN ONE OPTION.

Listening Reading Writin Speaking

Listening , 23%
Speaking , 57%

Reading , 70%

Writin , 40%

Chart 23: skills students can improve by reading English For Today
In reply to the question about which skills they could improve by reading the EFT,
70% (21) said reading, 57% (17) said speaking, 40% (12) writing, and 23% (7) said
listening.
5.1.24 Do you agree that the activities in the book match with the activities in
real life?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Strongly
disagree Did not answer
0% 3%
Disagree
20%

Agree
60%

Strongly agee
17%

Chart 24: the activities in the book match with the activities in real life
60% (18) students agreed and 17% (5) students strongly agree that the activities in
the book matched with the activities in real life while 20% (6) disagreed and 3% (1)
did not answer.
 P a g e | 69

5.1.25 Do you agree that the topics in this book encourage students to express
their own views?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Strongly
disagree Did not answer
0% 7%
Disagree
17%

Agree
67%

Strongly agee
10%

Chart 25: this book encourage students to express their own views
67% (20) students agreed and 10% (3) strongly agreed that the topics in this book
encourage students to express their own views whereas 17% (5) disagreed and 7% (2)
did not answer.
5.1.26 Do you agree that the English For Today book covers all the four skills
equally?

Agree Strongly agee Disagree Strongly disagree Did not answer

Strongly
disagree Did not answer
7% 3%
Disagree
47%

Agree
33%

Strongly agee
10%

Chart 26: English For Today covers all the four skills equally
In answer to this question, 33% (10) agreed and 10% (3) strongly agree that EFT
covered all the four skills equally while 47% (14) disagreed and 7% (2) strongly
disagreed. 3% (1) students did not answer.
 P a g e | 70

5.1.27 Which skills have been prioritized in the book? You can choose more
than one option.

Speaking Writing Listening Reading Did not answer

Did not
answer , 3% Speaking ,
27%
Reading ,
70%

Writing , 50%

Listening ,
17%

Chart 27: skills prioritized in the book

In reply to this question, 70% (21) said that reading skills were prioritized in the
book while 50% (15) said writing, 27% (8) said speaking and 17% (5) said listening
were prioritized. 3% (1) remained silent.
5.1.28 Do you think that the importance of any skill has been ignored in this
book? If yes, please write.

yes No Did not answer

Did not
answer , 7%

yes, 43%

No, 50%

Chart 28: skills ignored in this book

43% (13) students said that importance of some skills (i.e. listening, speaking)
was ignored in the book while 50% (15) of them said no skills were ignored. 7% (2)
did not answer. Of the 43%, only 7% (2) students wrote writing and reading were
ignored in EFT while the rest said listening and speaking were ignored.
 P a g e | 71

5.1.29 What kind of classroom activity do you usually do in the class while using
this book?

We discuss with each other abut the topic in English

We give presentation
We read the text aloud
Did not answer
Did not answer We discuss
, 20% with each other
abut the topic
in English,
40%
We read the
text aloud ,
20%
We give
presentation,
20%

Chart 29: classroom activity students usually do in the class

When they were asked about the classroom activity students did in the class while
reading the book, 40% (12) students replied that they discussed with each other the
topic in English, 20% (6) said they gave presentation, 20% (6) said they read the text
aloud while 20% (6) did not give any answer.
5.1.30 What is your comment on this book?

This book is very useful for us

This is a difficult book to understand
Some improvement is needed
Did not answer
This book is
Did not very useful
answer , 3% for us, 23%

This is a
difficult book
Some to understand,
improvement 17%
is needed ,
57%

Chart 30: students’ comment on this book

Asked for their comments on the book, 23% (7) students said that the book was
very useful for them, 17% (5) said that the book was difficult to understand, 57% (17)
said that it needed some improvement while 3% (1) did not comment.
 P a g e | 72

5.2 Interpretation of the Results

From the data analysis above, the researcher found diverse views and reaction of both
the students and the teachers about the new EFT (2015-16). It is a moot point that
some findings of the micro and macro analyses go against the views of the students
while often students’ views and teachers’ views go in opposite directions.
When students were asked about the adequate number of activities in the EFT,
60% agreed that there were a lot of exercises after each lesson in the book (see 5.1.22)
and 67% students said that EFT had a complete and detailed table of contents (see
5.1.2). According to most of the students the book had an adequate number of
classroom activity in it too. 77% of them said that the book contained classroom
activities (see 5.1.15) and 80% of the students thought that the content and the
exercises were relevant to each other (see 5.1.14) and 60% agreed and 17% strongly
agreed that the activities in the book matched with the activities in real life (see
5.1.24). 60% students said that the photographs, diagrams, and charts used in the book
were related to the context and 23% said sometimes they were related (see 5.1.8).
It can be said that according to the students, EFT was not lacking in activities and
exercises but as 83% of the students believed that audio/visual materials were
necessary to make their concept clearer (see 5.1.13), 30% students said that there was
no technological instruments while 30% said their teacher would use audio materials
in the class although there was no sign of technological instruments in the whole
institution (see 5.1.21). In addition, although most of the students liked the print
quality of the book (see 5.1.3) and 60% agreed and 10% strongly agreed that the book
was free from traditional photographs and images (see 5.1.9), 60% of them wanted the
quality of the photographs and images to be better (see 5.1.4) as they did not like
those blurry photographs and images while 73% of them wanted to see more
photographs and images in the book (see 5.1.10).
At the same time, 60% students found out that the book contained no vocabulary
list while the rest found the vocabulary list and it was sufficient to 23% of them and
inadequate to 17% (see 5.1.16). To my surprise, the book contained a vocabulary
either at the beginning or at the end of it. The vocabulary used in the book, however,
difficult for the level of the students’ language competence. 47% said it was difficult
and 30% said it was very difficult (see 5.1.17). That is why, 90% students needed
their teachers’ help to read the book (see 5.1.18). To put it clearly, the book was so
difficult that 67% students felt difficulty in using the book (see 5.1.19). It was clearly
 P a g e | 73

found that albeit a whole lot of exercises in the book students could not use the book
comfortably since there were other factors (i.e. no technological instruments, difficult
vocabulary etc.) which thwarted their flow of language learning.
Again, 54% students disagreed and strongly disagreed that EFT covered all the
four skills equally (see 5.1.26) and the evidence of inequality of the four skills
surfaced when 70% said that reading skills and 50% said that writing skills were
prioritized in the book (see 5.1.27) while 50% students believed that no skills were
ignored although the book had no activities or exercises on the listening skills (see
5.1.28). In answer to another question (see 5.1.23), 70% of the students thought they
could improve reading skills and 57% could improve on speaking skills. It was clear
that the book put emphasis on reading, writing and speaking skills but not on listening
skills. As the research in mainly intended to find out whether the EFT covered all the
four skills equally and whether it was effective, most of the students asserted that the
book needed improvements according to the needs of the students while some of them
believed that the book was very difficult for them to understand.
After analyzing the data collected from the students and interpreting them, it can
easily be said that the book was neither effective to a satisfactory level as the result of
5.1.30 showed. Nor did it cover all the four language skills (Listening, Speaking,
Reading and Writing) equally. Listening skills were totally ignored in the book
though the students did not bother to open the book and see whether there was any
trace of activities or exercises on listening. In addition, the book was not that much
effective to the students because the difficult vocabulary and no use of technological
instruments did not allow them the exposure to materials made according to their
needs.
 P a g e | 74

5.3 Quantitative Data Analysis: The Teachers’ Views

This section deals with the analysis of the data collected from 3 teachers. Each
question has been interpreted with a bar chart. The charts show the numerical
descriptions of the results and at the end a detailed interpretation of the findings has
been given.

5.3.1 What is your opinion about Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

approach?

It is useful
It is better than Grammar Translation Method (GTM)
It is difficult to apply this approach in our country
100%

100%
80%
60%
40%
0% 0%
20%
0%
It is useful It is better than It is difficult to
Grammar apply this
Translation approach in our
Method (GTM) country

Chart 1: opinion about CLT

When the teachers were asked about their opinion about communicative language
teaching approach, 100% of them said that it was difficult to apply that approach in
our country.
 P a g e | 75

5.3.2 Do you agree that the approach used in this book allows various class
activities?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

100%
100%

80%

60%

40%

20% 0% 0%
0%
0%
Agree Strongly Disagree Strongly
agree disagree

Chart 2: Whether the approach allows various class activities

In response to the question, 100% teachers agreed that the approach used in that
book allowed various activities.
5.3.3 Do you agree that the English For Today has a complete and detailed
table of content.

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%

60%

50%

40% 33%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%
0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 3: EFT’s complete and detailed table of contents

67% teachers disagreed and 33% teachers strongly disagreed that the book had a
complete and detailed table of contents.
 P a g e | 76

5.3.4 What is your opinion about the photos/charts/diagrams of this book? You
can choose MORE THAN ONE OPTION.

they are related to the context

they are not related to the context

some more photos/charts/diagrams should be

included
photos/charts/diagrams have been used more than
the need fo this book

70% 67%

60%

50%

40% 33%

30%

20%
0% 0%
10%

0%

Chart 4: opinion about the photos/charts/diagrams of this book

In their opinion about the photos/charts/diagrams of the book, 66% opined that
some more photos/charts/diagrams should be included while 33% of the teachers said
that photos/charts/diagrams had been used more than was needed.
 P a g e | 77

5.3.5 Do you agree that the content of the book is free from traditional images
and Information?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%

60%

50%
33%
40%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%

0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 5: traditional images and Information

According to 67% teachers the content of the book was free from traditional
images and information while 33% disagreed.
5.3.6 Do you agree that the book contains a range of varied and interesting
reading texts that can engage students cognitively and effectively?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%

60%

50%
33%
40%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%

0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 6: varied and interesting reading texts

 P a g e | 78

33% teachers agreed that that the book contained a range of varied and interesting
reading texts that could engage students cognitively and effectively while 67%
disagreed to the point.
5.3.7 Do you agree that there is sufficient material for spoken English (e.g.
dialogues, role-plays, etc.)?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%

60%

50%
33%
40%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%

0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 7: sufficient content for spoken English

When the teachers were asked whether there was sufficient material for spoken
English, 33% agreed that there was while 67% disagreed.
5.3.8 Do you agree that the book provides enough communicative exercises and
activities that help students carry out their communicative tasks in real
life?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%
60%
50% 33%
40%
30%
20%
10% 0% 0%
0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 8: communicative exercises and activities

 P a g e | 79

33% teachers agreed that that the book provided enough communicative exercises
and activities that helped students carry out their communicative tasks in real life
whereas 67% disagreed.
5.3.9 Do you agree that English For Today book covers all the four skill
equally?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%
60%
50%
33%
40%
30%
20%
10% 0% 0%
0%
Agree Strongly Disagree Strongly
agree disagree

Chart 9: English For Today book covers all the four skill equally
33% teachers agreed that EFT covers all the four skills equally while 67% said the
opposite.
5.3.10 Do you agree that all the skills are treated in an integrated way?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

67%
70%

60%

50%
33%
40%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%

0%
Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly
disagree

Chart 10: all the skills are treated in an integrated way

 P a g e | 80

In answer to this question, 67% teachers agreed that in EFT all the skills were
treated in an integrated way while 33% of them disagreed.
5.3.11 Do you think any skill has been ignored in this book? If yes, please write.

Yes No
100%

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20% 0%
10%
0%
Yes No

Chart 11: any skill being ignored in this book

100% teachers thought that some skills were ignored in that book. They said that
listening skills were ignored in the book. Two of the teachers said that listening skills
were ignored in EFT while the other did not write anything.
5.3.12 Which skills can students improve while reading this book? You can
choose MORE THAN ONE OPTION.
100%

100%
80% 67%

60%
40%
20% 0% 0%
0%
Reading Speaking Listening Writing

Reading Speaking Listening Writing

Chart 12: skills students can improve

According to 100% teachers, students could improve reading skills while using
that book and 67% teachers thought that students could improve their writing skills by
using that book. No teacher said that students could improve their listening and
speaking skills while using EFT.
 P a g e | 81

5.3.13 Do you think that English For Today book needs Audio/Visual materials
to make students concept clearer?

Absolutely Not necessary

100%

100%

50%
0%
0%
Absolutely Not
necessary

Chart 13: needs of Audio/Visual materials to make students concept clearer

100% teachers thought that English For Today needed Audio/Visual materials to
make students concept clearer while 0% said against it.
5.3.14 Did you ever EVALUATE any book partially or completely? If yes, please
WRITE THE NAME.

Yes No
100%
100%

50%

0%
0%
Yes No

Chart 14: books evaluated by the teachers

All the teachers said that they had evaluated a book partially or completely. 67%
teacher evaluated previous English For Today for classes xi-xii and the rest evaluated
Advanced Learners Communicative English.
5.3.15 Do you think that English For Today successfully reflects the use of CLT
approach?

67% Yes No
80%
60% 33%
40%
20%
0%
Yes No
 P a g e | 82

Chart 15: successful reflection of the CLT approach

According to 67% teachers EFT successfully reflected the use of the CLT
approach while 33% said no.
5.3.16 Do you think that the arrangements of the units are organized?

Yes No
100%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
0%
10%
0%
Yes No

Chart 16: the arrangements of the units

100% teachers thought that the arrangements of the units were organized while no
one talked against it.
5.3.17 Does the level of the vocabulary used in the book match with the level of
the students?

The vocabulary is easy It is very easy

It is difficult It is very difficult

67%
70%

60%

50%
33%
40%

30%

20%

10% 0% 0%

0%
The It is very easy It is difficult It is very
vocabulary is difficult
easy
 P a g e | 83

Chart 17: the vocabulary used in EFT according to the level of the students
33% teachers thought that the level of vocabulary used in that book was difficult
while 67% thought it was very difficult.
5.3.18 Do you agree that the presentation of the content is understandable to
both teachers and students?

Agree Strongly agree Disagree Strongly disagree

100%
100%

80%

60%

40%

20% 0% 0% 0%
0%
Agree Strongly Disagree Strongly
agree disagree

Chart 18: the presentation of the content

In reply to this question, 100% teachers disagreed that the presentation of the
content was understandable to both teachers and students.
5.3.19 Do you suggest any supplementary book with it to your students?

Yes No
100%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20% 0%
0%
Yes No

Chart 19: supplementary book with EFT

100% of the teachers suggested a supplementary book with EFT.
 P a g e | 84

5.3.20 Do you think English For Today is appropriate for the students level of
competence? If No, please WRITE IN DETAIL.

Yes No
67%
70%
60%
50%
33%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes No

Chart 20: EFT is appropriate for the students’ level of competence

33% teachers observed that EFT was appropriate for the students’ level of
competence while 67% teachers no, it was not appropriate. Among the two teachers
who found EFT to be inappropriate, one wrote that EFT was not appropriate because
of the difficult vocabulary and so many difficult articles adapted from the internet
while the other just said no and did not commented.
5.3.21 Do you think that the social and cultural contexts are appropriate in the
book?

Yes, it is appropriate Inappropriate Slightly approprite

67%
80%

60%
33%
40%

20% 0%

0%
Yes, it is Inappropriate Slightly
appropriate appropriate

Chart 21: the social and cultural contexts

When the teachers were asked whether the social and cultural content was
appropriate in the book, 33% teachers said yes while 67% teachers said that the
content was slightly appropriate.
 P a g e | 85

5.3.22 Do you agree that there are adequate exercises in the book?

Agree Disagree

80% 67%

60%
33%
40%

20%

0%
Agree Disagree

Charts 22: adequate exercises in the book

In answer to the question the adequate exercises in the book, 67% agreed that the
book had adequate number of exercises while 33% of them disagreed.
5.3.23 Are the activities and exercises provided in the book effective?

Yes No Other
67%
80% 33%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Yes No

Chart 23: activities and exercises in EFT

Asked about the effectiveness of the activities and exercises provided in the book,
67% teachers said the exercise and activities were effective but to some extent, 33%
said no, they were not effective.
5.3.24 Are the content and the exercises relevant to each other?

Yes No Other

33% 33% 33%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Yes No Other

Chart 24: the content and the exercises relevant to each other
 P a g e | 86

When they were asked about the relevance of the content and the exercises, 33%
teachers said yes, 33% said no while 33% said that the content and the exercises were
relevant to some extent.
5.3.25 Does your institution provide you with facilities for using audio/visual
materials in the class?

Yes No Did not answer

67%
80%

60%
33%
40%

20% 0%

0%
Yes No Did not answer

Chart 25: audio/visual materials in the class

In response to the question above, 67% teachers said that they were not provided
with the facilities for using audio/visual materials in the class. The rest 33% of the
teachers did not answer the question.
5.3.26 Do you think the book is suitable for different learning styles?

Yes No
100%
100%

80%

60%

40%

20% 0%

0%
Yes No

Chart 26: EFT suitable for different learning styles

All the teachers thought that the book was not suitable for different learning styles.
 P a g e | 87

5.3.27 Do you think the book is culturally biased? If yes, please explain.

Yes No

80% 67%

60%
33%
40%

20%

0%
Yes No

Chart 27: the book is culturally biased

67% of the teachers thought that the book was culturally biased while 3% thought
that the book was not culturally biased. One of the teachers who said that the book
was culturally biased maintained that a good number of lessons of different units were
focused on exotic culture. Besides, there were gender biased discourses.
5.3.28 Is it possible to complete a lesson in one class? If no, please explain.

Yes No

80% 67%

60%
33%
40%

20%

0%
Yes No

Chart 28: possibility to complete a lesson in one class

While asked the question whether it was possible to complete a lesson in one
class, 67% teachers said that it was not possible to complete a lesson in one class
while 33% said yes in response to the question. Those who said that it was not
possible to complete one lesson in one class thought that it was because the texts were
very long and the vocabulary was very difficult as well. One teacher also said that
some lessons could be completed in one class.
 P a g e | 88

5.3.29 Is it possible to complete the syllabus within one academic year? If no,
PLEASE EXPLAIN.

Yes No

80% 67%

60%
33%
40%

20%

0%
Yes No

Chart 29: possible to complete the syllabus within one academic year
Again 67% teachers thought that it was not possible to complete the book within
one academic year while 33% said yes. This time too one teacher said that it was not
possible because the texts were very long and the vocabulary was very difficult.
Another teacher said that it was not possible to complete the book in one academic
calendar if they wanted to teach the students in detail.
5.3.30 What is your comment on this book? You can choose MORE THAN ONE
OPTION.

This book is very useful for us It is a difficult book to understand

Some improvement is needed

67% 67%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20% 0%
10%
0%
This book is very It is a difficult Some
useful for us book to improvement is
understand needed

Chart 30: comment on this book

When the teachers were asked to comment on the book, no one said that the book
was useful for students. 67% teachers said that the book was difficult for the students
to understand while 67% said that the book needed some improvement.
 P a g e | 89

5.4 Interpretation of the Results

The CLT approach was introduced in our country in 1996 and according to 67% of
the teachers who participated in the study, the new EFT successfully reflected the
application of the CLT approach (see 5.3.15). But even after long 22 years, all the
teachers all of whom had evaluated a book earlier (see 5.3.14) observed that it was
difficult to apply this approach in our country (see 5.3.1) although all of them
believed that the EFT contained various class activities (see 5.3.2). But, most of them
(67%) disagreed that the book did not provide the students with enough
‘communicative exercises and activities’ so that they could carry out
communicative tasks in real life (see 5.3.8) even though there were adequate exercises
in the book (see 5.3.22). In addition to that, the teachers showed a mixed attitude
when they were asked whether the activities and exercises provided in the book were
effective and relevant to each other. 33% said that they were ‘not effective and
relevant’, 33% thought that they were ‘effective and relevant to some extent’ while
33% found them effective and relevant to each other (see 5.3.23 and 5.3.24). From the
interpretation it is clear that the book contained a lot of activities and exercises but
they did not promote the communicative approach.
Although most of the students (67%, see 5.1.2) agreed that EFT had a complete
and detailed table of contents, no teacher found the table of contents either complete
or detailed. 67% disagreed and 33% strongly disagreed that the book had a complete
and detailed table of contents (see 5.3.3) and 100% teachers thought that the
arrangements of the units were not organized (see 5.3.16). Again, in their opinions
about the photos/charts/diagrams of the book, most of the teachers like the students
(see 5.1.10) wanted to see more photos and images (see 5.1.4) and 67% of the
teachers agreed that the content of the book was free from traditional images
information (see 5.3.5).
100% teachers believed that EFT needed audio/visual materials to make students
concept clearer (see 5.3.13) but they affirmed that their institutions provided them
with no such materials for facilitating the use of EFT (see 5.3.25). Most of the
teachers said that it was not possible to complete a lesson in one class (see 5.3.28) and
the syllabus within one academic year (see 5.3.29). Also, most of the teachers accused
the book of cultural bias. 67% teachers found the book culturally biased (see 5.3.27)
and thought that the social and cultural contexts in the book were ‘slightly
appropriate’ (see 5.3.21) (here ‘slightly’ denotes 25% or less).
 P a g e | 90

67% teachers held that EFT was not appropriate for the students level of language
competence (see 5.3.20) because 33% teachers believed that the vocabulary used in
the book was ‘difficult’ and 67% believed that it was ‘very difficult’ (see 5.3.17).
Again, the results of 5.3.2 and 5.3.22 show that the teachers pointed out that EFT
contained adequate activities and exercises but most of the teachers disagreed that it
covered all the four language skills equally (see 5.3.9). 100% teachers said that
listening skills were ignored in the book as there was not a single activity or exercise
on listening (see 5.3.11) while 67% said that there was not sufficient materials for
spoken English e.g. dialogues, role-play etc. (see 5.3.7) and that the book did not
contain a range of varied and interesting reading texts that could engage students
cognitively and effectively (see 5.3.6). Although 100% teachers believed that the
students could improve their reading skills and 67% believed that the students could
improve their writing skills by reading EFT, no one said that the students could
improve their listening and speaking skills using this book (see 5.3.12). Still 67%
teachers, on the contrary, agreed that all the four skills were treated in an integrated
way in the book (see 5.3.10).

5.5 Findings: Overall Critical Analysis of English For Today (2015-2016)

Overall critical analysis of EFT highlights detailed, comparative, and contrastive
analyses between the micro and macro evaluation and the findings from quantitative
data. In the findings of the quantitative data, it was found that the students’ and the
teachers’ answers to the same questions often differed completely. This discussion
will basically revolve around the answers to the research questions (see 1.3) along
with other factors found from this research and to how much true the research
hypothesis was. This section has been subcategorized into two parts: a) the
effectiveness of the book and b) the equal treatment of all the four language skills in
EFT.

5.5.1 The effectiveness of EFT according to the learners’ level

A teacher’s observations about a book, though not completely unfailing, are
substantial. A teacher knows well to what extent a book is effective for the learners
while most of the students learning a foreign language, as was found while conducting
the research, remain in the dark about the effectiveness of the book they cram. For
example the result of SQ1 (student question 1) shows that most of the students
 P a g e | 91

thought EFT to be appropriate for their age level (see 5.1.1) while 67% teachers held
that EFT was not appropriate for the students level of language competence (see
5.3.20). 80% of the students thought that the content and the exercises were relevant
to each other (see 5.1.14) whereas 33% teachers said that they were ‘not effective
and relevant’, 33% thought that they were ‘effective and relevant to some extent’
while 33% found them effective and relevant to each other (see 5.3.23 and 5.3.24).
Moreover, 67% students said that EFT had a complete and detailed table of contents
(see 5.1.2) but 67% teachers disagreed and 33% strongly disagreed that the book
had a complete and detailed table of contents (see 5.3.3) and 100% teachers thought
that the arrangements of the units were not organized (see 5.3.16).
A complete, detailed and organized table of contents helps students to have an
idea of what the units or lessons are going to discuss. 100% teachers found the table
of contents to be in shambles. The micro and macro analysis, however, shows that the
content of EFT is not intended for the students at the higher secondary level because
the book is swarmed with literary pieces with no or very little paraphrasing and
summary (as has been done in 4.3) at the beginning. Almost all of these literary
pieces transcend the level of the language competence of the students (see 4.1.1).
Again, the micro evaluation 4.2.2 shows that the content in EFT is not graded from
simple topics to complex ones, nor is it graded according to lexical frequency counts
and this result completely conforms to what the teachers said about the proper
organization of the book.
Most of the students and most of the teachers agreed that the book contained
adequate activities and exercises but most of the teachers (67%) disagreed that the
book did not provide the students with enough ‘communicative exercises and
activities’ so that they could carry out communicative tasks in real life (see 5.3.8). On
the contrary, from the micro and macro evaluation of EFT, it is found that a lot of
communicative exercises and activities. But all these communicative exercises and
activities lose their charm when it comes to the presentation of the language in EFT.
47% students said that the vocabulary was difficult and 30% said it was very difficult
(see 5.1.17) while 67% teachers maintained that EFT was not appropriate for the
students level of language competence (see 5.3.20) because 33% teachers believed
that the vocabulary used in the book was ‘difficult’ and 67% believed that it was
‘very difficult’ (see 5.3.17). At the same time, the micro and macro evaluation shows
that the language used in this book frustrates both students and teachers.
 P a g e | 92

I was found that (see section 4.7) the book contained many invalid statistics in a
book published in 2015 although the recent information is available. Students reading
the book may get confused when they will not find any conformity of the information
in the book with the recent information. Moreover, the print quality of the photos,
charts, bars and images should be improved as there were some pictures and charts so
blurred that a reader is unable to guess what they have in them. Again, all the students
at intermediate level in colleges and madrasahs have this EFT as a compulsory
subject. The publisher or the editors should have given utmost importance to
perfection. Some errors were detected in the TEXTBOOK which has a huge
readership.
The effectiveness of a textbook depends mainly on how interesting and riveting
the book is to the teachers and the students. If students are introduced to a book the
language of which is unintelligible, the book will not work. And at this stage of
education, so many literary pieces huddled into a language teaching book are enough
to drain their enthusiasm and passion for the language out of them. Therefore, it can
finally be asserted that although EFT is decorated with a great number of exercises
and activities, due to very difficult vocabulary and much focus on literature in the
process of teaching and learning English diminished the effectiveness of the new
English For Today (2015-2016).

5.5.2 The four language skills in EFT

Developing the four skills in the students is the ultimate goal in the processes teaching
and learning a language. In this part, the researcher will discuss how all the four skills
(Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking) were dealt with in EFT. I will come to a
final comment on the question after critically analyzing the micro and macro
evaluation and the quantitative data.
The whole process of teaching and learning a language centers on these four skills
and their application in real life situations. First of all, students’ views of the skills
should be mentioned. 54% students disagreed and strongly disagreed that EFT
covered all the four skills equally (see 5.1.26). 70% of them said that reading skills
and 50% said that writing skills were prioritized in the book (see 5.1.27). The
students, however, revealed their ‘we-hardly-open- EFT -and-thoroughly-see-what-it-
contains” attitude when 50% of them said that no skills were ignored in the book. But
100% teachers said and the micro and macro evaluation showed that the book had no
 P a g e | 93

activities and exercises on listening skills. Both the teachers and the students,
however, mentioned that reading and writing skills had been prioritized in the book.
In the micro and macro analysis it was found that the book contains adequate
communicative activities and exercises. But there was no activity on speaking skills
although the marks distribution table (see 4.4.3) shows that 20 marks (10 for speaking
and 10 for listening) are allotted for speaking and listening skills. The teachers said
that no audio/visual materials were available in their institutions to facilitate speaking
skills. It can finally be said that despite much importance on reading and writing skills
and at the same time on speaking skill (though no audio/visual instruments for
speaking skills), EFT in no way covered all the four skills equally.
 P a g e | 94

Chapter 6
Conclusion and Recommendations

e have to have more than textbooks, we need text-people.

W -Abraham Joshua Heschel

6.1 Conclusion
It is actually not a conclusion; rather it is a beginning of something new. In the
previous section we almost groped for the existence of effectiveness of EFT and the
equal treatment of all the four skills in it but the results and findings disappointed us.
There is not a faint trace of doubt about how important an effective textbook is for the
students acquiring a foreign language. Many researchers considered textbooks to be at
the heart of educational activities, as they provide students, according to Chambliss
and Calfee (cited in Shah et all, 2014, p-104), with “a rich array of new and
potentially interesting facts, and open the door to a world of fantastic experience” The
most powerful thing textbooks do is to “provide concrete models for desirable
classroom practice” and “fulfill a teacher development role (Nunan 1988, p-98)”
English For Today (2015-2016) for classer XI-XII is a textbook used by almost all
the students (except for the students of vocational institutions) in Bangladesh. The
book is designed mainly to teach the students the English Language. In chapter 4, the
researcher showed the table of contents of EFT by summarizing each lesson in order
to analyze it extensively. The book contains a wide range of topics though an excess
of literary pieces made their way into different units and lessons. It was found that
literary charm had a more dominant stronghold in the book than did the principles of
the CLT approach.
Many students were found to be so much callous to their textbook that they just
ticked an answer without even giving a little thought. 100% teachers said that they
suggested a supplementary (actually obligatorily supplementary) book for the students
(see 5.1.19) while 50% students said their teachers did not suggest them any
supplementary book (see 4.1.6). Learning a language requires a lot of enthusiasm and
interest and talent. We cannot force scholarly reading texts and esoteric literary works
upon students having such mercurial attitudes. The research found out that the writers
 P a g e | 95

used a long poem to discuss human rights, a 55-line long poem and “The Old Man at
the Bridge” by Hemingway to teach students “Cruelties of Conflict” (U13:L3,4). To
discuss the abject condition of the Buriganga river, they started with an excerpt from
“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by S. T. Coleridge (see U8:L3). Someone may
come up with the logic that this poem was mentioned here only to make the students
feel the necessity of water. This kind of forceful imposition of literary works on topics
requiring direct focus hinders students’ flow of language acquisition. Rather, NCTB
should come up with an English textbook which suits considerably more or less all the
students at the same level of education.
The findings and analyses very clearly showed that the book had a major lack of
effectiveness and equal treatment to all the four skills and that the students were
awarded with innumerable bombastic English words which they could not bite at all,
let alone gulp down. Students surely were happy with the complete and detailed table
of contents or with things which contribute very little to language acquisition. But
they surely were not satisfied with what the book had to teach and with excessive
literary pieces thronging a textbook designed for teaching and learning a language.
EFT, however, cannot be dumped into the sea of futility with the eyes squeezed
shut. It has a number of strengths:
- it is decorated with an excess of classroom activities and exercises;
- it has many activities for pair work and group work;
- the book treated men and women equally;
- students can access to topics discussing divers strata of human life;
- the book dominantly reflects the CLT approach (but not in a student-friendly
way);
- It has a lot of activities and exercises on reading, writing and speaking (role-
plays, discussion, debates etc);
- it is free from traditional images and information.
- it contains some texts which will act as a tool of raising consciousness.
- it has texts on art and music, on science, on business, on culture, on myths, on
politics, on law, on tourism, on history, on education, on environment and
nature, on health and on what not. It discusses many things.
Finally it needs to be asserted that 67% teachers considered the book to be
difficult to understand and 67% observed that it needed improvements. 17% students
said it was difficult to understand and 57% of them said it needed improvements. In
 P a g e | 96

addition, as the micro and macro evaluation of the book showed the similar results,
the new English For Today needs to be thoroughly revised and improved according to
the needs of the students and teachers.

6.2 Recommendations
From the analyses above, it has become crystal clear that EFT does have some certain
weaknesses. All the teachers interviewed observed that the book was difficult to
understand and needed improvements. With all the findings taken into consideration,
the researcher makes the following recommendations for the improvement of EFT:
i. The texts used in the book should be more precise and short.
ii. Vocabulary should be easier.
iii. The print quality of photos, images, diagrams, and charts should be improved.
iv. More local contexts should be added to the contents.
v. EFT should be viewed from the linguistics point of view and not from the
literary point of view as EFT, according to the claim of NCTB, has been
designed to promote “the communicative functions of language” (EFT, p. iii).
It needs texts on communicative skills than on literature for the students at the
HSC level.
vi. All the articles used in EFT should be paraphrased into easily understandable
texts for the learners.
vii. It is better to avoid using statistics which is no more valid or is subject to
quick changes. In this case, students come across pieces of information which
is completely different from the recent pieces of information on the same
topic.
viii. Activities on listening skills should be added.
ix. Finally, Errors should be strictly treated so that they cannot be found
anywhere in the book.
A textbook is designed to be used by both teachers and students. It is an
unavoidable tool in EFL/ESL classrooms. It should encourage both the learners and
the teachers to enthusiastically go through the language teaching and learning
processes. If textbooks can be made more interesting and enjoyable, they will
facilitate the learning processes. Plato believed that “the most effective kind of
education is that a child should play amongst lovely things”.
 P a g e | 97

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Students’ Questionnaire

This questionnaire contains 30 questions on English For Today (2015-2016) for

classes xi-xii. Its sole aim is to collect data from students to evaluate English For
Today (2015-2016) for research purpose and all the information collected will be
treated with confidentiality. Thanks for the cooperation!

Name……………………………………………………………………Age……
Name of the institution:……………………………………………Date:…………

1. Do you think that your English For Today book is appropriate for your age
level?
a) Yes, it’s appropriate
b) No, it is more advanced than our level.
c) No, it is less advanced than our level.
2. Does English For Today have a complete and detailed table of contents?
a) Yes, it has a complete and detailed table of contents.
b) No, the table of contents is inadequate.
3. Do you like the print quality of this book?
a) Yes, print quality is better.
b) No, I think print quality should be improved.
4. Do you think that the quality of the photographs and images should have
been better?
a) Yes
b) No
5. Does your English teacher use any kind of technological instruments in the
class while using this book?
a) Yes
b) No
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6. Does your English teacher suggest you the name of any supplementary book
while using this book? If yes, write the names:
a) Yes, he/she does.
Book’s name:..............................................................................................

Author: .................................... Publisher: .....................................................

b) No.
7. Do you use any reference book while using this textbook?
a) Yes, I use.
Book’s name:...................................................................................................
Author:..................................................Publisher: ...........................................
b) No. I do not use.
8. Do you think that the photographs, diagrams, and charts which have been
used in this book are related to the context?
a) Yes, I think they are relevant.
b) No, I do not think so.
c) Sometimes I find them related to the context
9. The content of the book is free from traditional images and information.
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
10. Do you think that the book should contain more photos, diagram and charts?
a. Yes, I want to see more.
b. No, they are enough.
11. Do you think that this book is culturally biased? If yes, why?
a) Yes…………………………………………......................................................
b) No
12. Do you think the materials in this book are arranged in an organized way?
a. Agree
b. Strongly agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly disagree
 P a g e | 103

13. Do you think that English For Today book needs Audio/Visual materials to
make students’ concept clearer?
a) Absolutely
b) Not necessary
14. Are the content and exercises relevant to each other?
a) Yes
b) No
15. Does this book have exercises for classroom activity?
a. Yes, it has a lot of exercises.
b. Not at all.
c. It has some exercises for classroom activity.
16. Is the vocabulary list included with this book?
a) Sufficient
b) Inadequate
c) Not included
17. Is the vocabulary used in the book appropriate for your level of language
competence?
a) It is easy
b) It is very easy
c) It is difficult
d) It is very difficult
18. Do you find your book suitable for self study or do you always need teacher’s
help?
a) I need teacher’s help while reading this book
b) I can study this book alone
c) Sometimes I need teacher’s help.
19. Do you feel any difficulty using this book? If yes, please explain the reason.
a) Yes
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
b) No
20. Do you agree that the book expresses positive views of ethnic origins,
occupations, age groups, social groups and disability?
a) Agree
 P a g e | 104

b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
21. Choose which technological instruments the teacher uses (if any).
a) Multimedia
b) Computer
c) Visual aids
d) Audio aids
22. Are there adequate exercises after each lesson in the English for Today?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
23. Which skills can you improve by reading English For Today book? You can
choose MORE THAN ONE OPTION.
a) Listening
b) Reading
c) Writing
d) Speaking
24. Do you agree that the activities in the book match with the activities in real
life?
a. Agree
b. Strongly agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly disagree
25. Do you agree that the topics in this book encourage students to express their
own views?
a. Agree
b. Strongly agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly disagree
Explain here………………………………………………………………………..
..........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
 P a g e | 105

26. Do you agree that the English For Today book covers all four skills equally?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
27. Which skills have been prioritized in the book? You can choose MORE
THAN ONE OPTION.
a. Speaking
b. Writing
c. Listening
d. Reading
28. Do you think any skill has been ignored in this book? If yes, please write:
a) Yes ……………………………………………………………………………..
b) No
29. What kind of classroom activity do you usually do in the class while using
this book?
a. We discuss with each other about the topic in English
b. We give presentation
c. We read the text aloud
If you do any other activity please explain
here.............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
30. What is your comment on this book?
a) This book is very useful for us.
b) This is a difficult book to understand.
c) Some improvement is needed.
If you want to say more write here
....................................................................................…………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
Thank you!
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Appendix 2: Teachers’ Questionnaire

This form has been developed for use in the Department of English Language,
Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka. This questionnaire contains 30
questions which are related to the teacher’s view on English For Today (2015-16) for
class xi-xii. It has been designed to collect data from teachers, which will help the
researcher to evaluate this book. You are given full assurance that the information
provided in this questionnaire will be treated as confidential, and will be used solely
for research purpose. Thanks for the cooperation!

Name……………………………………………….……………..Age……………
Name of the institution:………………………………………..…Date:…………..

1. What is your opinion about communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

approach?
a) It is useful.
b) It is better than Grammar Translation Method (GTM)
c) It is difficult to apply this approach in our country.
2. Do you agree that the approach used in this book allows various class
activities?
a. Agree
b. Strongly agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly disagree
3. Do you agree that the English For Today has a complete and detailed table of
content.
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
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4. What is your opinion about the photos/charts/diagrams of this book? You

can choose MORE THAN ONE OPTION.
a) They are related to the context
b) They are not related to the context
c) Some more photos/charts/diagrams should be included
d) Photos/charts/diagrams have been used more than the need of this book
5. Do you agree that the content of the book is free from traditional images and
Information?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
6. Do you agree that the book contains a range of varied and interesting reading
texts that can engage students cognitively and effectively?
a) Agree b) strongly agree c) Disagree d) Strongly disagree
7. Do you agree that there is sufficient material for spoken English (e.g.
dialogues, role-plays, etc.)?
a) Agree b) strongly agree c) Disagree d) Strongly disagree
8. Do you agree that the book provides enough communicative exercises and
activities that help students carry out their communicative tasks in real life?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
9. Do you agree that English For Today book covers all the four skill equally?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
10. Do you agree that all the skills are treated in an integrated way?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
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11. Do you think any skill has been ignored in this book? If yes, please write:
c) Yes ……………………………………………………………………………..
b) No
12. Which skills can students improve while reading this book? You can choose
MORE THAN ONE OPTION.
a) Reading
b) Speaking
c) Listening
d) Writing
13. Do you think that English For Today book needs Audio/Visual materials to
make students concept clearer?
a) Absolutely b) Not necessary
14. Did you ever EVALUATE any book partially or completely? If yes, please
WRITE THE NAME:
a. Yes……………………………………………………………………
b. No
15. Do you think that English For Today successfully reflects the use of CLT
approach?
a) Yes
b) No
16. Do you think that the arrangements of the units are organized?
a) Yes
b) No
17. Does the level of the vocabulary used in the book match with the level of the
students?
a) The vocabulary is easy
b) It is very easy
c) It is difficult
d) It is very difficult

18. Do you agree that the presentation of the content is understandable to both
teachers and students?
a) Agree
b) Strongly agree
 P a g e | 109

c) Disagree
d) Strongly disagree
19. Do you suggest any supplementary book with it to your students?
a) Yes, I suggest them.
Book’s name: .........................................................................................................
Author............................................ Publisher: ..............................................
b) No
20. Do you think English For Today is appropriate for the students level of
competence? If No, please WRITE IN DETAIL:
a. Yes, It is appropriate
b. No, It is not appropriate.
………………………………………………………………....................................
....................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................
21. Do you think that the social and cultural contexts are appropriate in the
book?
a) Yes, Appropriate
b) Inappropriate
c) Slightly appropriate
22. Do you agree that there are adequate exercises in the book?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………
23. Are the activities and exercises provided in the book effective?
a) Yes
b) No
24. Are the content and exercises relevant to each other?
a) Yes
b) No
25. Does your institution provide you with facilities for using audio/visual
materials in the class?
 P a g e | 110

a) Yes
b) No
26. Do you think the book is suitable for different learning styles?
a) Yes
b) No………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………
27. Do you think the book is culturally biased? If yes, please explain:
a) Yes, it is culturally biased
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
b) No, it is not culturally biased.
28. Is it possible to complete a lesson in one class? If no, please explain:
a) Yes
b) No………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
29. Is it possible to complete the syllabus within one academic year? If no,
PLEASE EXPLAIN:
a) Yes
b) No………………………………………………………………………………...
30. What is your comment on this book? You can choose more than one option.
a) This book is very useful for students.
b) This is a difficult book to understand for students.
c) Some improvement is needed.
If you want to say more write here
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Thank you!