Choosing a coursebook 1 :

from analysis to first-glance evaluation

By :
Latifa Rahayu
Sausan Anggraini
Overview
Taking Stock
of the Situation

Criteria for Textbook

Evaluation Analysis

First-Galance Method of Analysis

Evaluation and Evaluation
Course book materials are all the materials
in a course book package that we use in
the classroom to present and practice
language, to develop learners’s language
skill
 Taking Stock of the Situation
1.1 Context Analysis and survey of learner needs

‘Course materials are not intrinsically good or

GOOD BAD
bad- rather they are more or less effective in
helping students to reach particular goals in
specific situations’
Cunningsworth (1979:31)
 Learner factors that need to be
considered in materials selection

1. Age range 9. previous language-learningexperience

2. Proficiency level in the target language 10. language learning aptitude
3. First language 11. general expectations
4. Academic and educational level 12. specific wants
5. Socio-cultural background 13. preferred learning style
6. Occupation 14. sex distribution
7. Reasons for studying the target language 15. interests
8. Attitude to learning
 Teacher factors

1. Language competence
2. Familiarity with the target language culture
3. Methodoligical competence and awareness
4. Experience of teaching the kind learner for the materials are being selected
5. Attitude to teaching and to learners
6. Time available for preparation
7. Beliefs about teaching-learning, preferred teaching style, preferred method
TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Analysis is a process The purpose of

which leads to an
textbook analysis
objective, verifiable
description.
to provide a description,
but the description can
Evaliation is as the word
suggests, involves the be different levels of
making of judgments. sophisticate
 TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Level 1 of analysis
Looking at what the materials say about themselves (on the
back cover, in introduction) at the publisher’s calogue
Level 2 of analysis
Carry out a more careful examination of extracts from the
materials in order to arrive at a sense of what is envisaged
Level 3 of analysis
Drawing conlusions regarding such questions as the aims of the
materials, the anticipated roles of teacher and learner,
 METHOD OF ANALYSIS AND
EVALUATION
•The impressionistic method
Impressionistic analysis is concerned to obtain a general impression of
the material. As Cunningworth’s ( 1995:1) term impressionistic
overview suggests, one form of this wide-ranging but relatively
supervicial. In the case of global text book.
•The checklist method
A checklist consist of a list of items which is refered to for
comparidon, identification or verification (Collins English Dictionary
1992)
The items being “check off ” (√) once their presence has been
confirmed.
•The in-depth method
In-depth technique go beneath the publisher’s and author’s claims to
look at for instance, the kind of language description, underlying
assumption about learning or values on which the materials are base
or, in a broader sense, whether the materials seem likely to live to the
claims that are being made for them
 FIRST – GLANCE EVALUATION

The process of the purpose of first-

delineating, obtaining, evaluation here is an
and providing useful activity aimed at measuring
the success of the learning
information for
program as well as the
judging decision process of planning,
alternatives. While obtaining, and providing
glance is temporary or information needed by
fleeting. students
 Step of first – glance evaluation
from analysis to selection
Material analysis level 1

First – glance evaluation (User feedback)

Close analysis and evaluation Trialling

Selection
Grant’s CATALYST (grant 1987:119)
the criteria are laid out in the form of
the acronym CATALYST

Communicative

Aims

Teachability

Available add – ons

Level

Your impression

Student interest

Tried and tested

A similar point can be made about McDonough and
Shaw’s (1993:66-77) distinguish between external
and internal evaluation,using the terms almost
literally.
External evaluation: which constitutes a form of
initial evaluation, is based on what can be gleaned
from the cover of a book, including the back cover,
where the publisher’s blurb is typically found, the
introduction and the table of contents.
 External evaluation, as discussed by
McDonough and Shaw (1993:66-77)
should yield information on the following
-Intended audience
-Proficiency level
-Context of use (i.e. general English vs ESP)
-Organisation of teaching material (time taken to cover
units/ lessons)
-The view of the author(s) on language and methodology
and the relationship between language, the learning
process and learner.
 Aspects of materials that can be established
at this stage are as follow based on
McDonough and Shaw 1993:66-74 :
-Whether materials are designed as a main course or
as supplement to a main course
-Whether the teacher’s book is in print / avaiable
locally
-What kinds of visuals are included and what use iss
made of these
-Whether layout and presentation are clear
 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
Criteria is something that is used as a benchmark or a
minimum limit for anything that is measured by
criteria or standards can be equated with the
maximum limit that must be achieved.
One of the key problems facing the designer of an
evaluation instrument, as the above discussion
illustrates, is the specification of criteria.
 Tomlinson (1999:11-12) takes the
definition of specific criteria a step further:
1. Media- specific criteria : those which relate to the
particular medium used.( audio-recorded material,for
instance, one might consider the audibility of the
recording)
2. Content –specific criteria : those which relate to the
nature of the material such as the choise of topics.
3. Age –specific criteria : the suitability of the material
4. Local criteria : the appropriate of the material for
particular environment in which it is to be used.
 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
5.1 From general to specific
One way of thinking about general criteria is
as heading of summarising sets of more specific
criteria.
However, whereas the general criteria should
be seen as essential, the specific criteria can only be
determined on the basis of individual circumstances.
5.2 Commentary
- practical considerations
- support for teaching and learning
- context relevance
- likely appeal to learners
 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

5.3 Applying the criteria

Deciding how strictly to enforce the specific criteria is a

matter of judgement related to individual circurmstance.
If a criterion is not important for a particular context, it
should not be included in first-glance evaluation (or any
evaluation for that matter); nevertheless, certain items may
be more important in one context than another.