Textbooks – a problem? • Coursebook evaluation What are the advantages of using a textbook? Advantages •It provides: • a syllabus • security for the students • a set of visuals, activities, readings … • assessing tools (tests, evaluation tools) • consistency within a given level • •It may include supporting materials: • teacher´s guide • cassettes, CDs • video • worksheets … • Disadvantages •The content may not be appropriate to your group •The content may not be at the right level •Some aspects of language may be preferred while others not •There may not be the right mix of activities •The activities may be boring •The material may go out of date •The timetable for completing the textbook may be unrealistic Textbooks to compare Think of a textbook you were satisfied with. Think of a textbook you were not satisfied with. What were the differences? Criteria for coursebook evaluation: •Price and availability •Add-ons and extras •Layout and design •Instructions •Methodology •Syllabus •Language skills •Topics •Cultural appropriacy •Teacher’s guide Price and availability •a teacher’s book, workbook, audio-cassette or CD, even video-cassette • •How much will the student have to pay? •And how much the teacher? Add-ons and extras •Flash-cards or the pictures, maps, posters •Websites •Discussion pages • •Is it worth the value (time and money)? Layout and design •attractive and challenging ? •pictures, colours • • •Do I as a teacher like the design of the book? •Does it look like cheap commerce? Instructions •In English or in Czech? •Are they clear and brief? •Will students understand without teacher’s help? Methodology •Adequate to the age and the level of my students •balance between accuracy and fluency exercises •More acquisition or more learning and teaching? Syllabus •the topics of my students’ interest? •logical sequence of topics? •the expected amount of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation? Textbooks for teenagers • Cover Cover Cover Cover Language skills •all skills covered in balance? •challenging activities offered? •open-ended and close-ended tasks? •natural spoken English? Topics •a variety of topics? •adequate to the level and interest of my students? •other subjects integrated, too? Cultural appropriacy •Any multicultural items? •Unprejudiced? •Enrich my students’ worldview? Teacher’s guide •Answers for my students’ curious questions? •differentiated activities for a heterogeneous class? •Help with my lesson and syllabus planning? Aim - e.g. Maturita exam • Cover Cover Cover Cover Other factors to consider: •Context (your institution, parents …) •Your beliefs •Your understandings about how people learn languages •Your students´needs and interests •You as a teacher Secondary and language schools • Cover Cover Cover An ideal coursebook does not exist. Bring additional materials! Supplementary materials •Books, magazines •Pictures, posters, maps and cards •Real authentic material •Toys •Visualizers •Video equipment and data-projector •Audio equipment •Musical instruments •Smart or interactive boards •Computer! Options: •projects, •film making, •theatre performances, •online homework … •