Evaluation of Indian Primary Level English Language Textbook Using the Checklist Method: Teachers’ Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1507.04Keywords:
English language education, NCERT English textbooks, the Checklist Method, textbook evaluationAbstract
English language education is a vital component of global communication. Hence, the quality of textbooks is crucial for effective teaching-learning. The teaching of English is seen to be incomplete without implementing the use of an appropriate textbook. Relying so much on textbooks is evident in the curriculum and program syllabi, as teachers often have textbooks as their main reference for teaching. This paper overviews a study that systematically evaluated National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) English textbooks for primary classes using the checklist method. The checklist under consideration was developed by Denir and Ertas in 2014. The checklist comprised 54 questions based on a systematic review of 23 checklists. For the sake of the study, 14 teachers’ feedback was collected based on the developed checklist. Feedback from the teachers gathered through the designed checklist adds valuable insights into the textbook’s real-world application, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. Considering multiple parameters, our study reveals that 78% of the questions in the checklist were answered in the affirmative, indicating that the textbooks under our consideration were aptly designed and suitable for the learners; however, they require some changes to be made, especially in the Skills and Sub-skills section.
References
Abdelwahab, M. M. (2013). Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluative Checklist. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 1(3), 55-70.
Alemi, M., & Sadehvandi, N. (2012). Textbook Evaluation: EFL Teachers' Perspectives on" Pacesetter Series." English language teaching, 5(7), 64-74.
Bhanegaonkar, M., & Mahfoodh, M. (2013). New approach for evaluating EFLM: An eclectic developed checklist. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 3(10), 1-8.
Brown, J.D, & Rogers, T.S. (2002) Doing second language research. Oxford University Press.
Daoud, A., & Celce-Murcia, M. (1979). Selecting and evaluating a textbook. In M. Celce-Murcia & L. McIntosh (Eds.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp. 302- 307). Cambridge, MA: Newbury House Publishers.
Demir, Y., & Ertas, A. (2014). A suggested eclectic checklist for ELT coursebook evaluation. Reading, 14(2), 243-252.
Deuri, C. (2012). An evaluative study of text book in English at higher secondary level. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, 1(1), 24-28.
Graves, K. (2000). Designing Language Courses. Canada: Newbury House.
Hamidi, H. et al. (2016). Evaluation of two general English textbooks: New interchange 2 vs. four corners 3. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 7(2), 345-351.
Hemsley, M. (1997). The evaluation of teachers' guides design and application. ELT Journal, 3(1), 72-83.
Hutchinson, T., & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as an agent of change. ELT Journal, Volume 48, Issue 4, October 1994, 315–328, https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/48.4.315
Karamouzian, F. M., Narcy-Combes, M. F., & Ahmed, F. (2014). A post-use evaluation of Pakistani secondary school English textbooks. TESOL International Journal, 9(1), 15-37.
Lawrence, W. P. W. (2011). Textbook evaluation: A framework for evaluating the fitness of the Hong Kong New Secondary School (NSS) Curriculum (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Hong Kong.
McDonough, J., & Shaw, C. (1993). Materials and Methods in ELT. Oxford: Blackwell.
McGrath, I. (2002). Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Mukundan, J. et al. (2011). Developing an English language textbook evaluation checklist. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 4(6), 21-27.
Mukundan, J. et al. (2011a). Developing An English Language Textbook Evaluation Checklist. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 4(6), 21-28.
Rangaraju, S. (2017). An Evaluation of NCERT English Textbooks. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, English and Foreign Language University Hyderabad].
Roberts, F., Aziz, A. A., & Matore, M. E. E. M. (2020). Criteria of a Good ELT Textbook: Malaysian Teachers’ Perception. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8, 7433-7442.
Skierso, A. (1991). Textbook Selection and Evaluation. In M. Celce-Murcia (2nd ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language, 432-453.
Tomlinson, B. (2003). Materials Evaluation. In Tomlinson, B. (ed) (2003) Developing Materials for Language Teaching. London and New York: Continuum.
Tomlinson, B. et al. (2001). ELT Courses for Adults. ELT Journal, 55(1), 80-101.
Ulla, M. B. (2019). Western-published ELT textbooks: Teacher perceptions and use in Thai classrooms. Journal of Asia TEFL, 16(3), 970-977.
