Choosing & Evaluating Textbooks by Neville Grant in Making the most of your textbook

Prepared by: Anasuhah Bt Buyong Nur Nabilah Huda Bt Hamdan Jeeivita Kathirvellu Pillai Ainatul Mardhiah Bt Manin

What is evaluation?
According to the Oxford Dictionary (2013), evaluation in its general context refers to the making of a judgment about the amount, number, or value of something; assessment.

Why do teachers need textbook evaluation?

The adaptation of an effective learning material creates a positive language learning environment
How does it affect the language learning environment?

Through assigning it with the learners needs, interests and abilities

How do we know it suits the learners, teachers, and the teaching syllabus objective?

Through evaluation!

According to Grant (1987), the textbook should satisfy 3 conditions:

1. It should suit the needs, interests and abilities of your students 2. It should suit you 3. The textbook must meet the needs of official public teaching syllabuses or examinations

Grants 3 stages of evaluation

Initial evaluation

Detailed evaluation

In-use evaluation

CATALYST

QUESTIONNAIRE

CONTINUOUS RE-EVALUATION

Initial evaluation
To eliminate unsuitable materials To decide whether the book is worth to go in depth with Grant introduces the CATALYST test 8 letters which represent 8 criteria to be evaluated

Communicative

Will the students be able to use the language to communicate as the result of using this textbook?

Aims
Teachable

Does it fit our aims and objectives? Does is seem reasonably easy to use, well-organized, and easy?
Are there additional materials? Does the level fit the learners ability & proficiency? What is your overall impression towards it? Do the learners find the textbook interesting?

Available AddOn

Level

Your
Impression

Student interest

Tried & tested

Has the book been tried & tested in real classroom?

However
Hasty decision should not be made Get specimen copies of new materials and evaluate properly Seek consultation from colleagues Ask for advices and opinions: - teachers from other schools/colleges, - inspector/advisor in the Ministry of Edu.

Detailed evaluation
Questionnaire
Helps to decide how far a textbook meets the 3 conditions as mentioned earlier:-

1) Does the book suit your students? 2) Does it suit the teacher? 3) Does it suit the syllabus? It is recommended to compare between two probable textbooks. Use Grants questionnaire and make a detailed evaluation of the two textbooks. Compare the two textbooks based on the evaluation results.

In-use evaluation
Re-evaluate the adopted textbook incessantly No questionnaire at this stage only one big question: DOES IT WORK IN THE CLASSROOM? Monitor the books progress in the classroom Arrange meeting with colleagues to discuss about textbooks

Conclusion
Ensuring the efficiency & affectivity of the materials used in the classroom is important. Although Grant has introduced his 3 stages evaluation in choosing textbook, there are also different checklists and evaluation styles available. It is depends on the teacher to choose which recommendation to be decide on and are encouraged to design a most suitable checklist to their own context.