APPLIED LINGUISTICS for BA Students in English
COURSE-BOOK EVALUATION
Basic steps and types of course-book evaluation
Hutchinson and Waters (1987) divide the evaluation process into four basic steps such as defining criteria, subjective analysis, objective analysis and matching. The first step involves our decision concerning the bases on which we will judge our materials. It also requires us to decide which criteria we will consider important. Subjective analysis means the analysis of our course, in terms of materials requirements whereas objective analysis means the analysis of materials being evaluated. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) warn teachers not to consider their own subjective analysis as a fixed set of requirements since it may blind them to possibly useful alternatives. One is also advised to set up a rank order of factors in order to see to what extent the course materials match our criteria such as language areas or content.
Cunningsworth (1995) suggests that there can be three types of material evaluation of which the first one is called pre-use evaluation. This is by all means the most difficult type of evaluation ”as there is no actual experience of using the book for us to draw on. In this case we are looking at future or potential performance of the course-book” (Cunningsworth 1995:14). The next type is called in-use evaluation which means that the material is evaluated while one applies it in the current teaching-learning context. The third type – post-use evaluation – involves a ”retrospective assessment of a course-book’s performance and can be useful for identifying strengths and weaknesses which emerge over a period of continuous use” (Cunningsworth 1995:14).
Grant (1987) comes up with a three-stage long evaluation process which includes initial evaluation, detailed evaluation and in-use evaluation. Initial evaluation functions as a filter with which one can filter out obviously unsuitable materials. This filtering out is best achieved by the application of the so-called CATALYST test. As Grant (1987) notices a course-book should act as a catalyst in the classroom and as such, it should facilitate change. The letters of the acronym CATALYST stand for “the eight criteria by which we can decide whether a textbook is suitable for our classroom” (Grant 1987:120):
- C stands for questioning whether the material is communicative enough. According to this criterion, learners should be able to communicate in the target language.
- A stands for aims. Teachers should investigate whether the material fits in with their aims and objectives, which may be laid down by the authorities or set by themselves.
- T refers to the course’s teachability and its easy-to-use organization.
- A stands for available add-ons, that is one should examine whether additional materials such as teacher’s books, workbooks, CDs and other _ength-components are available for classroom use.
- L refers to learners’ level as well as that of the book. They should by all means match.
- Y stands for (y)our overall impressions of the material.
- S means the extent to which students are likely to find the coursebook interesting.
- T stands for the question whether the book has been tried and tested in real learning situations.
Harmer (1983) enumerates seven major headings for materials evaluation form such as practical considerations, layout and design, activities, skills, language type, subject and content and guidance. By practical considerations he means the price of the materials and availability of the integral parts such as teacher’s book, tapes etc. Layout and design means the physical attractiveness of the materials to students while the third heading (activities) mainly refers to the useful and motivating nature of practice activities found in the materials. The ’skills’ heading intends to answer whether the materials lay enough emphasis on developing students’ skills according to their needs assessed previously in the needs analysis process. Language type investigates whether the language in the materials is realistic, whether it is at the right level and of the right type for students. The ’ subject and content’ heading checks whether the given topics are relevant, interesting and motivating enough for students. Guidance means how easily teachers and students can use the materials, follow the instructions and understand the course objectives.
Cunningsworth (1995) states that teachers have to be confident that the course materials they select are the best and most appropriate available. Piloting a new material before adopting it seems to be quite effective but a little bit _engthy. This opinion is supported by Grant (1987) who says that piloting new materials is seldom possible in public education systems. One can also ask for other practicing teachers’ opinions about the new material. Learners’ views on the usefulness of course-books are also worth asking for, since “they are the prime users of the material” (Cunningsworth 1995:8-9). A detailed analysis, however, might prove to be the best way to learn as many pieces of information about the new material as possible.
