The Role of Coursebooks

Prof. Zdenka Gadusova, PhD.

zgadusova@ukf.sk
The Role of Coursebooks
Today’s modern English language
coursebook should be:
a road map – a guide of where to go
and how to get there.
What happens along the way and how much
a teacher deviates depends on:
- learner types,
- chosen methodology and
- the interests and motivations of their students.
The Role of Coursebooks

CB is:
• a useful resource for both teachers and learners
– for Ts it serves as both a crutch and a guide
– for Ls it is a source of motivation, knowledge
and reference
• a source of content, text and activities
• one of many resources Ts can draw upon in
creating effective lessons
The Role of Coursebooks
CBs:
• are a key component in most language
programmes
• serve as the basis for much of the language
input learners receive and the language
practice that occurs in the classroom
• provide the basis for the content of the lessons,
the balance of skills taught and the kinds of
language practice the students take part in
The Role of Coursebooks

• may serve to supplement the teacher´s

instruction
• may provide the major source of contact
learners have with the language (apart
from T´s input)
• provide ideas on how to plan and teach
lessons
• provide formats that teachers can use
The Role of Coursebooks

Advantages of coursebooks
• they provide structure and a sylabus for a programe
• they help to standardize instructions
• they maintain quality
• they provide a variety of learning sources
• they are efficient
• they can provide effective language models and
input
• they can train teachers
• they are visually appealing
The Role of Coursebooks

Limitations of coursebooks
• they may contain inauthentic language
• they may distort content
• they may not reflect students´ needs
• they may deskill teachers
• they are expensive
The Role of Coursebooks
Coursebooks
– a resource in achieving aims and objectives
that have already been set in terms of
learners needs
• should not determine the aims themselves
or become the aims
Teachers should be primarily concerned
with teaching the language and not the
coursebook.
The Role of Coursebooks
The role of the coursebook is to be at the
service of Ts and Ls but not to be their
master.
The partnership between T and CB:
the aims of the coursebook should
correspond the aims of the teacher,
and both should seek to meet the needs
of the learners.
The Role of Coursebooks
CBs have multiple roles in ELT and can serve as :
– a resource for presentation material (spoken
written)
– a source of activities for learner practice and
communicative interaction
– a reference source for learners on grammar,
vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.
– a source of stimulation and ideas for classroom
language activities
The Role of Coursebooks
– a syllabus (where they reflect learning
objectives which have already been
determined)
– a resource for self-directed learning or self-
access work
– a support for less experienced teachers who
have yet to gain confidence
The Role of Coursebooks

Uses of Coursebooks

• The roles of coursebooks in learning/

teaching process can vary considerably,
reflecting the nature of partnership
between the teacher and the coursebook.
The Role of Coursebooks

Heavy dependence on coursebooks

• the book is followed very closely and in
exact order of presentation
• every text is carefully studied
• each exercise is meticulously worked
through
The Role of Coursebooks

Heavy dependence on coursebooks

usually:
• where the syllabus is set centrally and
where an officially approved CB is
prescribed for use
• where inexperienced and untrained
teachers teach
The Role of Coursebooks
Disadvantages of this approach:
• a possible lack of variety in teaching
procedures
• a reduced range of response to individual
student needs and problems
• a possible lack of spontaneity
• a sharply reduced level of creativity in
teaching technique and language use
The Role of Coursebooks
Balanced relationship between T and CB
• the main CB serves as a useful framework for
language content and sequencing but is used
selectively and is supplemented by other
materials
• the main CB chosen from a range of
alternative courses by the teachers themselves
• one basic CB is supported by a variety of
supplementary materials
The Role of Coursebooks

Advantages of this approach:

• there is common framework provided by
the CB
• more variety of classroom activity and
teaching technique is possible
• a more flexible response to individual
students´ needs is possible
The Role of Coursebooks

• less experienced Ts can use the CB as

heavily as they need to
• there is a scope for Ts to develop as they
become less dependent on the book and
gain in confidence to experiment with
alternative materials
The Role of Coursebooks

Factors influencing the degree

of dependence or autonomy in using CBs:

• type of educational system/environment

• syllabus/materials constraints imposed by
education authorities
• culture and expectations of learners
The Role of Coursebooks

• nature and amount of training for teachers

• teachers´ experience and confidence
• teachers´ command of English (if non-
native speakers)
• availability of alternative CBs and
resources for material production
The Role of Coursebooks

Adapting coursebooks
• modifying content
• adding or deleting content
• reorganizing content
• addressing omissions
• modifying tasks
• extending tasks
The Role of Coursebooks

Monitoring the use of materials may take

the following forms:
• observations
• feedback sessions
• written reports
• reviews
• students´ reviews
The Role of Coursebooks

The information collected can serve

the following purposes:
• to document effective ways of using materials
• to provide feedback on how materials work
• to keep a record of additions, deletions and
supplementary materials Ts may have used with
the materials
• to assist other Ts in using the materials