course book evaluation

Materials are the most noticeable components of every language-learning context. One of these materials is the specific textbooks being used by English language academies; they are crucial in directing EFL teachers and learners and guiding them through the route of language learning. The present study attempts to compare the cultural content of two course books being used currently in Iran called ILI and Rise and Shine series in order to see which one is more useful in developing the intercultural competence of EFL learners. The participants of this study include 30 EFL teachers (15 teachers in ILI who teach advanced level books and 15 teachers in Chitsazan academy who teach advanced level books). The instrument of this study includes a questionnaire adapted from (Ahmadi Safa, Moradi et al. 2015) that consists of 38 questions designed based on Likert scale. The collected date were analyzed by an independent t-test. The obtained results revealed that Rise and Shine series include more intercultural features than ILI series and they are more applicable in improving the intercultural competence of EFL learners.

In this study we try to investigate the extent to which Multiple Intelligences Theory (MI),is reflected in the designed ESP textbooks for high school students.For this aim, a Multiple Intelligences checklist developed by Razmjoo and Jozhaghi (2010),was used to calculate the frequencies and percentages of occurrence of each type of intelligences reflected through various activities in these selected ESP textbooks. And also Christison’s (1996,1999) young adults’ questionnaire was chosen for determining MI profile of 12th grade ESP learners who, those textbooks that are going to be studied in this research,were determined for them at school.The results of careful analysis of these textbooks’ tasks revealed that they mostly provided activities in the light of verbal/linguistic and visual/spatial intelligences.The least dominant intelligences were intrapersonal and naturalist intelligence types and no example of the naturalist intelligence was found in these course books’ activities.The results of the study also revealed variation of students’ and course books’ MI profiles. As contrasted with the course books’ MI profile,a balanced distribution of all types of intelligences with varying degrees, were perceived among the students.Verbal intelligence was represented in most activities which is the least preferred by the students,which is followed by logical intelligence.While Bodily/Kinesthetic, Natural and Musical intelligence were neglected that are the most favorable in the MI profiles of students.The findings of the study highlight the fact that, ESP curriculum designers, for high school students, need to consider the necessity of applying all intelligence types, also regarding the field of study, in designing the ESP textbooks.