Textbook Evaluation

The present study aimed to examine the Iranian high school teachers’ perceptions towards the new English textbook named Vision 1 and tried to find the level of these textbooks' communicative aspects based on the teachers' perceptions. To do so, one hundred participants were selected based on convenience random sampling, including 65 male and 35 female Iranian EFL teachers. To collect teachers' perspectives on Vision 1 , a questionnaire, adapted from a similar previous study (Razmjoo, 2010), was used. To gain more valid data and to triangulate the data, a semi-structured interview was also conducted with 25 teachers. The results indicated that Vision 1 was considered poor in terms of vocabulary, writing, and critical discourse analysis components by most teachers, but they rated it appropriate in terms of structure, reading, listening, and speaking tasks. The general methodological considerations of Vision 1 were perceived to be good, but some believed that they were poor. The findings of the interview revealed that the participants agreed that Vision 1 is based on the approach of CLT. Notwithstanding, they argued that this method has not been properly operationalized in the content of the book. The teachers pointed out that Vision 1 has some features like conversations and pronunciation practices, which are beneficial for developing the communicative competence of the students. The results have implications for teachers and materials writers as well as the policy makers.

Since the emergence of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), textbooks in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have sought to align with its principles in order to gain wider acceptance and credibility. On the other hand, enhancing speaking skills within the school context in Iran has become a pressing demand. A critical component in facilitating the attainment of this ambitious objective is the effective development and utilization of appropriate instructional materials. This study seeks to critically evaluate the efficacy of Vision 1, a domestically developed coursebook implemented in Iranian high schools, in comparison to the international standard exemplified by Solutions Elementary (E.). To this end, four evaluative criteria were utilized: the communicative nature of speaking tasks, alignment with the Weak or Strong version of CLT, the type of prompts used for eliciting speaking, and the frequency of speaking activities.  Methodologically, content analysis was conducted, and the degree of inter-coder agreement was quantified using Cohen’s Kappa. Subsequently, the obtained data underwent statistical scrutiny, encompassing both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Non-parametric Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were employed to discern statistically significant disparities between the two textbooks concerning the specified criteria. Outcomes indicated significant differences in all the four criteria used. Overall, Solutions E. exhibited superiority over Vision 1 in terms of both quantity and diversity of speaking activities. The activities in Solutions E. are more communicatively oriented, fostering willingness to communicate in the target learners. Recommendations were posited to ameliorate Vision 1, particularly in the sphere of speaking skill development in Iranian context.

The inseparable connection between language and culture has been at the forefront of many studies. Similarly, the role of teaching materials in fostering intercultural competence of language learners is consistently highlighted in the literature. In this regard, the current study aims at investigating the representation of culture in Complete IELTS textbook published by Cambridge University Press, 2012. Adopting Kachru's concentric circles of English speakers around the world, the cultural content related to Center and Periphery Countries was explored. To quantify and categorize cultural themes, Byram's cultural checklist (1993) was used. Next, the content of four sections of the textbook, namely reading, listening, speaking, and writing, was analyzed to record any cultural representation. The sample included 16 reading , 10 listening , 10 speaking and 10 writing sections. The results indicated that the textbook contains cultural presentations of different countries with more weight given to Periphery Countries. The culture of these regions occupies 67.97% of the content, whereas Center Countries take up 32%. Moreover, in terms of the eight areas of Byram, the majority of the cultural presentation (55.61%) falls under the category of geography. It can be concluded that the textbook is free of any cultural bias and ideological/political motives.

This study investigated the discourse features of requestive speech acts in 10 textbooks from the Top Notch and Summit series to assess their potential for developing learners' pragmatic competence. Requests were analyzed in terms of directness strategies, head acts, and supportive discourse moves, drawing on the frameworks of Blum-Kulka et al. (1989) and Farch and Kasper (1989). The findings revealed a bias towards direct request strategies in both series, likely influenced by their utilitarian discourse structure. While Top Notch provided a wider range of directness levels, Summit, designed for advanced learners, offered limited exposure to diverse request strategies. Internal supportive moves, particularly the use of questions, were more prevalent than external moves in both series. These findings suggest that while the series contribute to language learning, they may not fully equip learners with the pragmatic competence necessary for effective intercultural communication. Further research is needed to explore the impact of explicit instruction and implicit learning on the acquisition of request strategies.

A vital aspect of educational reform involves the careful evaluation of English Language Teaching (ELT) materials to confirm that coursebooks align with learner requirements. This article presents the results of a comprehensive investigation into the Vision series, the state-issued English textbooks used in high schools in Iran. The study examines the correspondence between the textbook content and the language learning priorities identified by students and teachers. Using a survey-based method, needs analysis questionnaires were administered to 200 high school students (100 males and 100 females) and 50 English teachers (25 males and 25 females). The findings indicate a considerable gap between the pedagogical content of the Vision series and the expressed needs of learners, especially in the area of communicative abilities. These results imply that educators and curriculum planners should re-evaluate the appropriateness of the current textbooks and consider using supplementary or different materials that better align with the functional language skills students require. This work highlights the need for ongoing, context-specific assessment and modification of ELT materials to maintain their relevance and effectiveness.