Chapter One Introduction
1.1Needs for the Study
The textbook is an important part of language learning. Therefore, to analyze andevaluate textbooks become very urgent in selecting and in using textbooks. For students inChina, they nearly have no exposure to foreign language and foreign culture, and Englishtextbooks may be the only language input for them. No textbook is perfect (SeeCunningsworth 2002). Therefore, it is an urgent task for us to analyze and evaluate textbooksin order to select suitable textbooks for English learners.There are two different views on textbooks. People who are in favor of teachingmaterials say that teaching materials are the key pionts of English teaching program, and noEnglish teaching program is complete without corresponding teaching materials. However,other specialists argue that textbooks can not meet the change of the classroom teaching (SeeAllwright 1981). In reality, English is not the official language for Chinese and there is noforeign language learning environment in China; students may lose the only chance to learnEnglish without English textbooks. In fact, every school in China use English teachingmaterials in English teaching. In some cases, some English teachers believe that editors of thetextbooks are specialists in teaching English and textbooks can provide what their studentswant. However, textbooks are not Bible; textbooks can not always help everyone in allsituations.
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1.2General Description of the Study
The study does research in evaluation of New Standard English (NSE) published byForeign Language Teaching and Research Press. NSE includes compulsory courses andelective courses. Compulsory courses include Book 1 to Book 5. There are six teachingmodules and one review module in compulsory textbook. And elective courses contain Book6 to Book 11. This study mainly focuses on the compulsory courses. The study uses preliminary evaluation and in-use evaluation to evaluate textbooks.Preliminary evaluation is based on the requirements of National English CurriculumStandards. And in-use evaluation is conducted from the perspective of users’ feedbacks. Thesurvey is conducted in Yantai by the way of questionnaires and interviews. Interviews werealso done successfully to answer the research questions:
(1) To what extent does NSE suit student’s cognitive development and the five goals oflanguage learning?
(2) To what extent does NSE suit the demands of teachers and students?
(3) What advantages and disadvantages does NSE have?
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Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 General Understanding of Textbook Evaluation
Anything that can be used to simulate language learning can be defined as teachingmaterials (see Cunningsworth 2002). This is also the broad meaning of teaching materials.The broad meaning of teaching materials involves commercially-generated materials and rawmaterials. Commercially-generated materials may include, but not limited to the followingmaterials, such as textbooks, worksheets, classroom worksheets, teachers’ books, audio-videomaterials, web-support materials, and interactive CD discs and so on; raw materials mayinclude audio-materials, video-materials and written materials and so on. Maybe it isimpossible to evaluate all the things related with language learning. The narrow meaning ofteaching materials refers commercially-generated materials. Textbooks mainly refer tocommercially-generated materials. The thesis studies on commercially-generated materials.The study only focuses on students’ textbooks, NSE. NSE (New Standard English) is published by Foreign Language Teaching and ResearchPress. The chief editor is Chen Lin. NSE consists of compulsory books and optional books. It contains 11 books. From Book 1 to Book 5 are compulsory books. The vocabulary aim ofcompulsory books is 2500 words. From Book 6 to Book 8 are optional books. After learningall the books, learners should master 3500 words and achieve level 7 in NECS. This paperonly keys on the compulsory books.
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2.2 Referenced Theories of Textbooks Evaluation
There are three types of textbooks evaluation including pre-use evaluation, in-useevaluation, and post-use evaluation (see Tomlinson 2011). Pre-use evaluation is to evaluatethe value of teaching materials and it is often an impressionistic and subject evaluation. Inreality, it is the local educational administrate department and the composers that do thepre-use evaluation. In-use evaluation is a process evaluation. In other words, it is to evaluatethe textbooks while learners use it. Post-use evaluation may be the most valuable one becauseusers have known all the teaching materials well before textbooks evaluation. Like mostlearners and specialists, the research studies more on in-use evaluation. The process of English textbook evaluation is actually a process of comparison.Textbook evaluation refers to the comparison between textbooks and users’ requirements oftextbooks (see Hutchinson and Waters 2002). Cunningsworth (1988) puts forward that evaluating the foreign language textbooksshould follow the principle of high efficiency which mainly includes the following fouraspects: teaching materials should be consistent with the goal of teaching; teaching materialsshould let the learners master the language in high efficiency; teaching materials should meetthe needs of learners; what’s more, the relationship between learners and teaching materialsshould also be considered. He also sets up an assessment scale, including the languageknowledge, the selection of language goals, grade, circulation rate, interpretation, thecultivation of language ability and communication ability, motivation and learners and so on.
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Chapter three Research Methodology ...... 18
3.1 Research Questions...... 18
3.2 Participants ........... 18
3.3 Instruments ........... 19
3.3.1 Questionnaires .......... 19
3.3.2 Interviews ........... 20
3.4 Statistical Procedures for Data Collection.... 21
Generally, statistical procedures could be pided into three stages: ........ 21
3.5 Data Analysis......... 22
Chapter Four Results and Discussion....... 23
4.1 Preliminary Evaluation of NSE....... 23
4.2 In-use Evaluation of NSE.......... 39
Chapter Five Conclusion....... 54
5.1 Major Findings ............ 54
5.2 Limitations of the Study..... 55
5.3 Suggestions for the Future Study .... 55
Chapter Four Results and Discussion
4.1 Preliminary Evaluation of NSE
Preliminary evaluation of NSE is based on National English Curriculum Standards,which guarantees the validity and reliability of the research. National English CurriculumStandards demand that the arrangements of senior high school English textbooks shouldinvolve compulsory courses and optional courses. What’s more, senior students shouldachieve level 7 in NECS (National English Curriculum Standards) at least. Level 7 in NECSmainly contains the five goals of language learning. Therefore, preliminary evaluation of NSEis conducted from two aspects: the arrangement of textbooks, and the five goals of languagelearning.The aim of this part is to test to what extent NSE meets the demands of the arrangementof teaching materials in NECS. NECS (National English Curriculum Standards) demand thatsenior English textbooks should involve compulsory courses and optional courses. Thus, it issignificant to know the arrangement of textbooks for textbook evaluation. NECS (NationalEnglish Curriculum Standards) require senior students from grade one to grade three toachieve the language learning goals from level 6 to level 9. The arrangement of NSE isconsistent with the demands of NECS, including compulsory courses and elective courses.Compulsory courses include from Book 1 to Book 5. Compulsory courses focus much more on the basic knowledge than optional courses. There are six teaching modules and one reviewmodule in each book. In the end of studying all the compulsory courses, students should reachthe level 7 in NECS.
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Conclusion
1) Generally, NSE can meet the five goals of language learning. That is to say, NSE cannot only meet the requirements of syllabus edited by the local educational administratedepartments, but also meet the needs of language teaching criteria which is mentioned inChapter two. An obvious character of NSE is that it combines language knowledge andlanguage skill. For example, it combines vocabulary knowledge with speaking ability, and itcombines vocabulary knowledge with writing ability.
2) Generally, NSE can meet the demands of teachers and students. NSE centers onstudents. All tasks are designed for the benefit of student. Working in groups and working inpairs can enhance student’s cooperation ability. Students’ needs are put in the first place inNSE.
3) NSE has many advantages. NSE pays attention to student’s learning strategies. NSEadopts the advantages of four learning strategies among which NSE prefer cognitive strategythe most. NSE also stresses the importance of learning skills. NSE advocates students to learnactively rather than passively. Students are suggested to find their own effective learningmethods. Moreover, topics in NSE are various and interesting, therefore, NSE can arousestudent’s motivation to study English. Reading materials are selected from the real life whichcan be accepted to students. Language in NSE is authentic. Students can be exposed to a realcommunication situation. NSE has introduced eastern culture and western culture to the users.NSE emphasizes the cultivation of intercultural communication ability and the sense ofcultural awareness. As for attitude and values, NSE advocates students to build optimisticattitudes towards life and to be patriotic to our nation. NSE also advocates students’ overalldevelopment. Pictures and design in NSE are useful and attractive to students.
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References (omitted)