TESOL Philadelphia

A Framework for

Textbook Selection and

Evaluation

2012

H a n d o u t P a c k e t a n d W o r k b o o k

Joshua Durey Contact:

email: josh.durey@gmail.com

Skype: josh-durey

Twitter: JoshuaDurey

LinkedIn: http://kr.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-durey/44/966/a83

Website for TESOL Materials: http://www.wix.com/joshdurey/go

A B I T A B O U T M E : Hi! I’m glad you chose to come to the workshop on textbook selection and evaluation. I’ve spent the past few months putting it together and I hope you will take away something useful. The idea for this workshop came from a research paper I did for my MA TEFL at the University of Birmingham. The assignment was to compare a series of textbooks and to choose one. Pretty broad, right? In order to do that I did a lot of research on what others have done in the way of textbook selection. What I noticed is that there have been many checklists and methods designed over the years (I came across nearly 50). So I sifted through all of these and found what I considered to be the most manageable to work with. However these were not without their weaknesses, so I started looking at ways to pick and choose what I needed for my particular situation. What I came up with, hopefully, is a method that anyone can use regardless of their teaching situation with little-to-no modification. I’ve been working in Asia for the past nine years or so. I’ve lived in Japan and China, but Korea is now my home. I live in a small city about 45 minutes outside of Seoul with my lovely wife and beautiful daughter (who is nearly 2 years old now!). My interests include keeping up to date on current events and reading about bilingualism. I also study Korean when I have the time and enjoy watching movies at home. I am currently working on my MA Dissertation (I believe this is called a “thesis” in the US), which looks at the relationship between the TOEIC Speaking and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. We plan to move back to the US in the near future, and my goal is to work for an Intensive English Program in a university. Long term, I plan to pursue my Doctorate in Second Language Acquisition.

Joshua Durey Contact

Your Presenter

Page 1

Common Considerations when choosing a textbook

Notes:

Page 2

Discussion 1 notes 1. Which books do you use in your program? Why?

2. What is the process for selecting a new book where you work?

3. Which criteria are essential when choosing a textbook? Which are nice to have, but not necessary?

Page 3

Sheldon's checklist

Page 4

Cunningsworth's checklist

Page 5

Littlejohn’s checklist

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKE

Initiate

Scripted Response

Not required

B FOCUS ON

Language system (rules or form)

Meaning

Meaning / system relationship

C MENTAL OPERATION

Decode Semantic Meaning

Select Information

Hypothesize

Retrive from LTM

Repeat Identically

Apply General Knowledge

Research

Express own ideas/informationII WHO WITH?

Learner to class

Learners individually simultaneously

Learners in pairs or groupsIII WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM

a input to learners

Graphic

Oral words / phrases / sentences

Written words / phrases / sentences

Oral extended discourse

Written extended discourse

b expected output from learners

Oral words / phrases / sentences

Oral extended discourse

Written words / phrases / sentences

Written extended discourse

B SOURCE

Materials

Teacher

Learner

C NATURE

Personal Opinion

Non-Fiction

Fiction

Personal Information

Metalinguistic Knowledge

Linguistic items

Page 6

Essential Criteria Checklist (Blank)

Page 7

Discussion 2: Essential Criteria Essential Criteria

1. Are there any “Universal” essential criteria? 2. Which criteria are essential for the books you choose?

Essential

Criteria

Page 8

Discussion 3: Task Analysis Task

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKE

Initiate

Scripted Response

Not required

B FOCUS ON

Language system (rules or form)

Meaning

Meaning / system relationship

C MENTAL OPERATION

Decode Semantic Meaning

Select Information

Hypothesize

Retrieve from LTM

Repeat Identically

Apply General Knowledge

Research

Express own ideas/informationII WHO WITH?

Learner to class

Learners individually simultaneously

Learners in pairs or groupsIII WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM

a input to learners

Graphic

Oral words / phrases / sentences

Written words / phrases / sentences

Oral extended discourse

Written extended discourse

b expected output from learners

Oral words / phrases / sentences

Oral extended discourse

Written words / phrases / sentences

Written extended discourse

B SOURCE

Materials

Teacher

Learner

C NATURE

Personal Opinion

Non-Fiction

Fiction

Personal Information

Metalinguistic Knowledge

Linguistic items

Task

Analysis

Page 9

Littlejohn's descriptors for task analysis

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 13

Essential Criteria Checklist

Page 14

Page 15

TASK WORK: Step 1

You will conduct task analysis and, based on the results of that analysis, choose a book for the following course:

1. EFL course for middle school students

2. Objectives are:

1. To improve reading skills

2. To gain a better understanding of grammar

3. To increase confidence in writing

Choose either “Book 1” or “Book 2.”

Page 16

Page 17

Task Analysis Sheet Sample 1Task Number: 4 5 6 7

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKEInitiateScripted ResponseNot requiredB FOCUS ONLanguage system (rules or form)MeaningMeaning / system relationshipC MENTAL OPERATIONDecode Semantic MeaningSelect InformationHypothesizeRetrive from LTMRepeat IdenticallyApply General KnowledgeResearchExpress own ideas/informationII WHO WITH?

Learner to classLearners individually simultaneouslyLearners in pairs or groupsIII WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM a input to learnersGraphicOral words / phrases / sentencesWritten words / phrases / sentencesOral extended discourseWritten extended discourse b expected output from learnersOral words / phrases / sentencesOral extended discourseWritten words / phrases / sentencesWritten extended discourseB SOURCEMaterialsTeacherLearnerC NATUREPersonal OpinionNon-FictionFictionPersonal InformationMetalinguistic KnowledgeLinguistic items

TOTALS

Page 18

Page 19

Task Analysis Sheet Sample 2Task Number: 1 2 3 4

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKEInitiateScripted ResponseNot requiredB FOCUS ONLanguage system (rules or form)MeaningMeaning / system relationshipC MENTAL OPERATIONDecode Semantic MeaningSelect InformationHypothesizeRetrive from LTMRepeat IdenticallyApply General KnowledgeResearchExpress own ideas/informationII WHO WITH?

Learner to classLearners individually simultaneouslyLearners in pairs or groupsIII WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM a input to learnersGraphicOral words / phrases / sentencesWritten words / phrases / sentencesOral extended discourseWritten extended discourse b expected output from learnersOral words / phrases / sentencesOral extended discourseWritten words / phrases / sentencesWritten extended discourseB SOURCEMaterialsTeacherLearnerC NATUREPersonal OpinionNon-FictionFictionPersonal InformationMetalinguistic KnowledgeLinguistic items

TOTALS

Page 20

Task Analysis Sheet Sample 1Task Number: 4 5 6 7

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKEInitiate X 25%Scripted Response X X X 75%Not required 0B FOCUS ONLanguage system (rules or form) 0%Meaning X X X X 100%Meaning / system relationship 0%C MENTAL OPERATIONDecode Semantic Meaning X X X 75%Select Information 0%Hypothesize X 25%Retrive from LTM X 25%Repeat Identically 0%Apply General Knowledge X 25%Research 0%Express own ideas/information X 25%II WHO WITH?

Learner to class X X X 75%Learners individually simultaneously X 25%Learners in pairs or groups 0%III WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM a input to learnersGraphic 0%Oral words / phrases / sentences 0%Written words / phrases / sentences X X X X 25%Oral extended discourse 0%Written extended discourse 0% b expected output from learnersOral words / phrases / sentences X X 50%Oral extended discourse 0%Written words / phrases / sentences X X 50%Written extended discourse 0%B SOURCEMaterials X X X X 100%Teacher 0%Learner 0%C NATUREPersonal Opinion 0%Non-Fiction X X 50%Fiction X X 50%Personal Information 0%Metalinguistic Knowledge 0%Linguistic items 0%

TOTALS

Page 21

Task Analysis Sheet Sample 2Task Number: 1 2 3 4

I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKEInitiate X 25%Scripted Response X X 50%Not required X 25%B FOCUS ONLanguage system (rules or form)Meaning X X X X 100%Meaning / system relationship 0%C MENTAL OPERATIONDecode Semantic Meaning X X X 75%Select Information X X X 75%Hypothesize X 25%Retrive from LTM X 25%Repeat Identically 0%Apply General Knowledge X 25%Research 0%Express own ideas/information X 25%II WHO WITH?

Learner to class X 25%Learners individually simultaneously X X X 75%Learners in pairs or groups 0%III WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM a input to learnersGraphic 0%Oral words / phrases / sentences X X 50%Written words / phrases / sentences X X X 75%Oral extended discourse 0%Written extended discourse 0% b expected output from learnersOral words / phrases / sentences X X X 75%Oral extended discourse 0%Written words / phrases / sentences X 25%Written extended discourse 0%B SOURCEMaterials X X X 75%Teacher 0%Learner X 25%C NATUREPersonal Opinion 0%Non-Fiction X X X X 100%Fiction 0%Personal Information 0%Metalinguistic Knowledge 0%Linguistic items 0%

TOTALS

Page 22

Sample 1 Sample 2

Task Analysis Sheet

Task Number: I WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?

A TURN-TAKEInitiate 25% 25%Scripted Response 75% 50%Not required 0% 25%B FOCUS ONLanguage system (rules or form)Meaning 100% 100%Meaning / system relationship 0% 0%C MENTAL OPERATIONDecode Semantic Meaning 75% 75%Select Information 50% 75%Hypothesize 25% 25%Retrive from LTM 25% 25%Repeat Identically 0% 0%Apply General Knowledge 25% 25%Research 0% 0%Express own ideas/information 25% 25%II WHO WITH?

Learner to class 25% 25%Learners individually simultaneously 75% 75%Learners in pairs or groups 0% 0%III WITH WHAT CONTENT?

A FORM a input to learnersGraphic 0% 0%Oral words / phrases / sentences 0% 50%Written words / phrases / sentences 100% 75%Oral extended discourse 0% 0%Written extended discourse 0% 0% b expected output from learnersOral words / phrases / sentences 50% 75%Oral extended discourse 0% 0%Written words / phrases / sentences 50% 25%Written extended discourse 0% 0%B SOURCEMaterials 100% 75%Teacher 0% 0%Learner 0% 25%C NATUREPersonal Opinion 0% 0%Non-Fiction 50% 100%Fiction 50% 0%Personal Information 0% 0%Metalinguistic Knowledge 0% 0%Linguistic items 0% 0%

TOTALSTOTALS

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FURTHER READING

• Chambers, F. (1997) Seeking consensus in coursebook evaluation. ELT Journal. 51/1, 29-35.

• Cunningsworth, A. (1995), Choosing Your Coursebook. Oxford: Heinemann.

• Littlejohn, A. “The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the Trojan Horse.” In Tomlinson, B. (ed.). (1998) Materials Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 190-216. Available at: http://www.andrewlittlejohn.net/website/art/arthome.html

• McGrath, I. (2002) Materials Evaluation and design for Language Teaching. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

• Mukundan, J. 2004. A Composite Framework for ESL Textbook Evaluation. Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang. Available at: www.nepjol.info/index.php/NELTA/article/download/3432/2978

• Sheldon, L. (1988) Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials. ELT Journal, 42/4, 237-246.

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