unit FourteenEvaluating and AdaptingTextbooks
Unit Fourteen Evaluating and Adapting Textbooks
I. Warming-up questions:+Do you think it is necessary to havetextbooks?Think about the advantages anddisadvantages of using textbooks
Do you think it is necessary to have textbooks? I. Warming-up questions: Think about the advantages and disadvantages of using textbooks
Aduantag eschers and learners know where theyare going and what is coming next.Syllabus: if it is followed systematically, a carefully plannedand balanced selection of language content will be covered.Ready-made texts and tasks: it saves time for the teacherwho would otherwise have to prepare his or her own.Economy: a book is the cheapest way of providing learningmaterialsfor eachlearner.Convenience: a book is a convenient package.Guidance: it can provide useful guidance and support toteachers who are inexperienced or occasionally unsure oftheir knowledge of the language.Autonomy:thelearner can use it to learn new materials,review and monitor progress with some degree of autonomy
Advantages A clear framework: teachers and learners know where they are going and what is coming next. Syllabus: if it is followed systematically, a carefully planned and balanced selection of language content will be covered. Ready-made texts and tasks: it saves time for the teacher who would otherwise have to prepare his or her own. Economy: a book is the cheapest way of providing learning materials for each learner. Convenience: a book is a convenient package. Guidance: it can provide useful guidance and support to teachers who are inexperienced or occasionally unsure of their knowledge of the language. Autonomy: the learner can use it to learn new materials, review and monitor progress with some degree of autonomy
Disadvantages:Inadequacy: no one textbook can possibly supply everylearner's own learning needs.Irrelevance,lack of interest:the topics may not necessarilybe relevant or interesting for your class.Limitation: its set structure and sequence may inhibit ateacher's initiative and creativity, and lead to boredom andlack of motivation on the part of the learners.Homogeneity:it does not usually caterfor the variety oflevels of ability and knowledge, or of learning styles andstrategies that exist in most classes.（同一性）Over-easiness: teachers find it too easy to follow thetextbook uncritically instead of using their initiative
Disadvantages: Inadequacy: no one textbook can possibly supply every learner’s own learning needs. Limitation: its set structure and sequence may inhibit a teacher’s initiative and creativity, and lead to boredom and lack of motivation on the part of the learners. Irrelevance, lack of interest: the topics may not necessarily be relevant or interesting for your class. Homogeneity: it does not usually cater for the variety of levels of ability and knowledge, or of learning styles and strategies that exist in most classes. Over-easiness: teachers find it too easy to follow the textbook uncritically instead of using their initiative. ( 同一性 )
Il.EvaluatingTextbooksCriteria for evaluating textbooks:Macro-level evaluation: developing criteria that could beused with any kind of textbookMicro-level evaluation:developing criteria for a specifickind of textbook, such as a conversation textRichards'Beyond training, 2000: 137-138
II. Evaluating Textbooks Criteria for evaluating textbooks: Macro-level evaluation: developing criteria that could be used with any kind of textbook Micro-level evaluation: developing criteria for a specific kind of textbook, such as a conversation text Richards’ Beyond training, 2000: 137-138
Readthematerial aboutfeatures ofgoodtextbooksonpage169.Practice: take one of the textbooks you haveused before as an example, look through it and tryto evaluate it to see to what extent it has reflectedthe features of good textbooks outlined above
• Read the material about features of good textbooks on page 169. Practice: take one of the textbooks you have used before as an example, look through it and try to evaluate it to see to what extent it has reflected the features of good textbooks outlined above
IllSelectingtextbooksRead through the textbook from page170 to 173and then do Task3
III. Selecting textbooks Read through the textbook from page 170 to 173 and then do Task 3
IV.AdaptingTextbooksRead the textbook from page 174 to 175Try to give examples for each way ofadapting textbooks.Choose a textbook you are familiar withfind a unit that you think you need to adaptit and then tell the class how you wouldadaptit
IV. Adapting Textbooks Choose a textbook you are familiar with, find a unit that you think you need to adapt it and then tell the class how you would adapt it. Try to give examples for each way of adapting textbooks. Read the textbook from page 174 to 175