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BOOK EVALUATION.
Materials and resources could be any things or means that is used to aid teaching and
learning. The focus in this coursework is text materials. Such materials include those that have
been either specifically designed for language learning and teaching such as textbooks or
worksheets.
For the book evaluation, I have chosen a chapter from Year 4 textbook. It is in Unit 4, Story
Time. This book is categorized as a coursebook. This book is written by Lim Peck Choo, Gurnam
Kaur Sidhu and Azman Azlina Azmar. The editors are Nor Syila Binti Aziz, Sharifah Madiha Binti
Syed Abd. Aziz and Mariati Josepha Binti Mustafa. The designer and the illustrator is Azalan Bin
Hussain and Kamsiah Binti Mahmood. This book is published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka the
first printing was in 2005.
The educational value of using stories has always been acknowledged throughout
the world. Using stories is a way to create an acquisition rich environment and ideal learning
conditions which provide comprehensible input or language a little beyond the childs current level
of competence (Krashen 1981:103). Children enjoy listening to stories in their L1 and understand
the convention of narrative. For instance, the moment they hear pada suatu hari, they know what
to expect next. Thus, stories can afford an ideal introduction to the foreign language as it is
presented in a context that is familiar to the child.
According to thefreedictionary.com, story brings the meaning of an account or recital of an
event or a series of events, either true or fictitious or usually fictional prose or verse narrative
intended to interest or amuse the hearer or reader; a tale. While the meaning of young learners is a
states where the children are primary school students aged 6 12 years old. (Kasihani, 2007).
Young learners can be divided into two groups, the first one is Younger Group (aged 6-8 years)
and the second group is Older Group (aged 9-12 years). And according to their class level is
divided into two group, Year 1, 2 and 3 is in the category of Lower Class Students and year 4, 5
and 6 is in the category of Upper Class Students.
Stories are suitable tools to be used to teach children as stories are motivating, challenging
and fun. They can help children develop positive attitudes and create a desire to continue learning.
There are several types of stories that are suitable for the young learners to be learned. Some of it
is modern fantasy, realistic fiction, non-fiction, biography/ autobiography and folktales
(folklore/mythology, fables, legends, parables).

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The picture above shows the introduction of the topic in this textbook. Personally, the
illustration shown in the picture is not suitable to be done in a large numbers of pupils in a
classroom. For my class, I have about 44 to 45 pupils in respective classes. So, this type of activity
could not be carried out. If this activity is to be done in a classroom, Im afraid that some of the
pupils will left out from the activity. Some of the activities that can be done are shared reading,
guided reading and choral reading.
1.0 Level.
According to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/level (Merriam Webster
Dictionary), level can be defined as a position in a scale or rank (as of achievement, significance,
or value). From the textbook, it is suitable with pupils in Year 4. . Teacher should be able to adapt
and adopt the materials to make sure it suits with the pupils performance or level. The vocabulary
used in the text or stories are not too difficult nor too easy. Teacher should be able to make the
words understandable by the pupils by using contextual cues, sign language or to act out some of
the words. It is also important that a teacher balances his or her own needs with those of the
pupils. It is important that the pace of change suits and that teacher give themselves enough time
to plan for change. Teacher might begin with just one subject, just one time of the day, or just one
curricular element based on pupils level. Think carefully about management routines for example,
giving directions to the pupils and to make sure to use simple instructions so that it is easier for the
pupils to understand.

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2.0 Content cultural, knowledge.
Content can be defined as the subjects or topics covered in a book or document or the
material, including text and images, that constitutes a publication or document. (The Free
Dictionary). In the topic Story Time, the stories are mostly about animals. The type of stories
being used in the topic is about fable. Fable is a good type of stories that can be used to teach the
pupils because these stories are usually filled with moral values. Apart of that, the content of the
stories that encompasses moral stories could teach the pupils to instill it within themselves. Pupils
could learn the value from the stories. In addition, the stories came with comprehension questions
to test their understanding about the topic being learnt.
Teacher could also used stories not from the textbook alone as stories could be found
easily in bookstore or in the internet. Teacher could also diversify the types of the stories so that
pupils wont feel bored when they are served from the stories in the textbook alone. Besides that,
there are various activities that can be done using stories. For example, teacher could use
activities such as Guess the Ending, Arrange Plot or Choose Your Favourite Character. Activity
such as choosing favourite character could develop aesthetic value by letting the pupils to express
preferences for the characters in the play. When they do so, they are making judgments, or
aesthetic choices. When they favour a certain character, they are learning to make visual decisions
about what they prefer. When teachers offer children the opportunity to make these types of
judgments, they are creating the opportunity for them to hold an aesthetic discussion (Erickson,
1988). For instance, pupils could choose which characteristic they would like to follow in the
stories. This could be used to test their understanding and also using the High Order Thinking
Skills to assess their CCTS.
Through images in the stories, pupils could construct meaning and understanding. Stories
enables the pupils to visually present their understanding compare to other types of media. It also
fosters their aesthetic value through social, intellectual and the linguistic development through the
stories. These can be develop when they interact with each other to discuss or share thought,
imagining and thinking enhance intellect and linguistic value is strengthen through listening to the
story. Visual media enhances understanding and visual vocabulary helps the pupils to express
ideas about the stories and clarify their understanding.

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3.0 Clarity and Accessibility.
Clarity can be defined as clearness of appearance or clearness of thought or style or
lucidity (The Free Dictionary). In terms of the topic, clarity is related to the clearness of the text, as
well as the stories. The editor used a very clear font and type size which help the pupils to
understand better. Moreover, the storyline is also very clear. There is simplicity in the storyline.
The choice of words are clear and the plot is clear without any figurative language that may make
the pupils grow confusion. The stories are very direct in nature.
The definition of accessibility according to Oxford Dictionary is able to be reached or
entered. In term of this topic, the information are quite easily accessible as we could surf it in the
internet for additional materials, teaching aids or resources. Teacher could access about stories in
storybook as well as stories in the internet or webpage that serves as a place to access stories
such as Aesops Fables. The stories can be retrieved just at the fingertip.
4.0 Practicality.
According to Cambridge Advanced Learner Dictionary Third Edition, practicality can be
defined as quality of being suitable for a particular occasion or use. For this topic that I have
chosen, the activities provided is less practical. This is because the activities are just in linear form
which served to test the pupils understanding without any further activities that could boost pupils
interest towards knowing more about the stories or to make them more curious.

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The teacher will then need to match what needs to be learned with how the learning should
occur. Certain topics or concepts may be better suited to whole class, group, paired or individual
instruction and or learning. Certain topics are better suited to visual, auditory or kinaesthetic modes
of learning. Certain pupils respond differently to visual, auditory and kinaesthetic modes. Teacher
should try to use all of these at some stage in the learning process to capture the pupils interest
when presenting a topic and designing class work. Teacher should design activities that suits the
pupils level and also practical to be done in the classroom.
5.0 Impact and Authenticity.
Impact can be defined as a powerful effect that something, especially something new, has
on a situation or person (Cambridge Advanced Learner Dictionary). By using stories, the impact
can be seen when the pupils learn about the values from the stories. Another impact is to the
pupils skills in learning. By using stories, the impact is on their listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills. Pupils will need listening skills to listen to the stories, speaking skills to share stories,
reading skills to read stories as well as writing skills to write the summary of the stories.
The teacher needs to decide on the essential skills, concepts and information needed in the
subject area. Teacher should not presume that pupils understand basic concepts ensure that they
understand the meaning of the concept, information, skills that the teacher are asking them to
learn. Highlight or ask pupils the relevance of learning this concept. Show or ask pupils how this
skill will might be applied in a real life situation if appropriate. Knowing why something has to be
learned assists the learning process. Understanding the meaning is especially important for pupils
with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
Teacher should aim to overcome cognitive, social, emotional, behavioural and cultural
barriers to learning. Because there are many ways to teach in different ways. The teacher may
begin by identifying the learning strengths and needs of the target pupils. This can be done by
gathering information from a variety of sources (e.g. teachers own knowledge of or observation of
pupils, records of pupils progress/results, other teachers comments, comments from the pupils
themselves if appropriate, information from parents, guidance counsellor and psychologist). If
there are pupils with identified learning or behavioural needs refer to the psychological report for
specific guidance on how that child may access the curriculum. When the teacher knows the
pupils needs, the lesson will give more impact to the pupils.
Authenticity is the quality if being real or true. (Cambridge Advanced Learner Dictionary). Authentic
literature refers to narrative and expository texts that are written in the original, natural language of
the authors. These texts are not written with a controlled vocabulary or rewritten to achieve a
particular score according to a readability formula (Routman,1991). Research shows that when
different types of pupils at various grade levels are given authentic literature as the core of their

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reading program, their achievement is higher and they have more positive attitudes about reading
and writing (Cohen, 1968; Morrow, 1992; Tunnell & Jacobs, 1989).
Authentic literature is not just for children who can already read or for gifted students. It is
for all students as they learn to read including students experiencing various difficulties with
learning (Chomsky, 1978; Morrow, 1992; Pinnell, Fried, & Estice, 1990) and second language
learners (Larrick, 1987; Rigg & Allen, 1989). As Charlotte Huck has said, We dont achieve literacy
and then give children literature; we achieve literacy through literature (Huck, 1989, p. 258).
Thus, by giving pupils at all levels authentic literature such the stories, teacher provides
them with natural language that serves as a model for expanding their language base, helps to
increase their vocabularies, excites and captivates their imaginations, and motivates them to learn.