VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

LÊ THỊ BẮC

EVALUATING THE COURSEBOOK TIẾNG ANH 6 - TẬP 1 (SÁCH
THÍ ĐIỂM) COMPLIED UNDER THE NATIONAL FOREIGN
LANGUAGE PROJECT ENTITLED:"TEACHING AND LEARNING
FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION
SYSTEM, PERIOD 2008-2020"

(ĐÁNH GIÁ SÁCH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH 6, TẬP 1 (SÁCH THÍ ĐIỂM)
THÍ ĐIỂM BIÊN SOẠN TRONG KHUÔN KHỔ CỦA ĐỀ ÁN "DẠY VÀ HỌC
NGOẠI NGỮ TRONG HỆ THỐNG GIÁO DỤC QUỐC DÂN,
GIAI ĐOẠN 2008-2020") M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Language Teaching Methodology
Code: 60140111

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Language Teaching Methodology
Code: 60140111
Supervisor: Pro. Dr. Hoang Van Van HANOI - 2013
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DECLARATION This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts at Department of Post Graduate Studies - University of Languages
and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Ha Noi. I certify that this
thesis is the result of my own research, and it has not been submitted for any other
degrees at any other educational institutions.
Hanoi, December 2013
University, Hanoi for their facilitation and guidance in the completion of my
research. Thirdly, I want to express my gratitude to the editors and writers of
the series of English textbooks for lower secondary schools, the teachers and
students teaching and learning the piloted textbook Tiếng Anh 6 - Tập 1 (Sách thí
điểm) in Hai Duong province assistance and participation in my survey research.
Lastly, my thanks go to my family members, friends and other colleagues
at Hai Duong College for their patience and support in order for me to complete
this study.

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ABSTRACT

The current study aims at evaluating the textbook Tiếng Anh 6, tập 1 (Sách
thí điểm) to find out whether the book is suitable with the requirements of the 2020
Project as well as the Piloted English Language Curriculum for lower secondary
education in the context of teaching and learning this book in some lower secondary
schools in Hai Duong province. A survey questionnaire has been designed basing
on a combination of evaluation checklists and criteria suggested by different authors
and informal talks with the respondents are utilized as the research instruments of
the study. The results of the study show a very high level of agreement for the

Language Project Entitled: “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the
National Education System, Period 2008-2020” 7
1.1.1. Teaching and Learning English in Vietnam: Challenges and Opportunities 7
1.1.2. NFL 2020 Project 7
1.1.3. The Curriculum of Teaching English for Lower Secondary Schools . 8
1.1.4. The Textbook "Tiếng Anh 6" - Tập 1 (Sách Thí Điểm) 9
1.2. Textbook Evaluation 11
1.2.1. Roles of Textbooks 11
1.2.2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Textbooks 11
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1.2.3. The Needs for Textbook Evaluation 12
1.2.4. Defining Textbook Evaluation 13
1.2.5. Textbook Evaluation Criteria 14
1.2.6. Previous Studies on Textbook Evaluation 18
CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 21
3.2 Research Method 21
3.3. Participants 21
3.4. Research Instruments 22
3.5. Data Collection Procedure 23
CHAPTER 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 24
4.1. General Appearance 24
4.2. Design and Illustration 26
4.3. Accompanying Materials 27
4.4. Objectives 29
4.5. Topics 30
4.6. Contents 32
4.7. Skills 33
4.8. Social and Cultural Context 35
4.9. Linkage 37

implementation but also because it is the major teaching and learning resource at
school. Complying with the Vietnamese Prime Minister's Decision No.1400, the
NFL 2020 project Entitled: “Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the
National Education System, Period 2008-2020” and the Piloted English Language
Curriculum for Lower Secondary Education , a 10-year-curriculum series of English
textbooks from grade 3 to grade 12 has been designed with an aim to "form and
develop English language communication competence" (Piloted English Language
Curriculum for Lower Secondary Education - p3). The piloted English textbooks
for grades 3, 4, and 5 have been taught in primary schools nationwide and have

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received positive feedbacks. In the school year 2012 -2013, the English textbook for
grade 6 has been taught for more than 7,000 sixth grade students with A1 certificate
(according to the Common European Framework Reference - CEFR standard) of 88
secondary schools in 30 provinces. Beside textbooks and students' quality, teachers'
quality and methodology have also been emphasized. To be qualified for teaching
the piloted textbooks, secondary teachers are required to have B2 certificates and
attend a training course in methodology.
1.1.2. The Context of Teaching and Learning "Tiếng Anh 6 - Tập 1" (Sách thí
điểm) in Hai Duong College and Hai Duong Province
Hai Duong College is among 18 key universities and colleges nationwide
selected to be the training centers for providing the training courses in language
competence and methodology for primary and secondary English teachers. From
September 2011 up to now, teachers in Hai Duong College, Foreing Languages
Department and I am one of its members have trained 240 primary, secondary and
high school English teachers from Hai Duong and Bac Ninh provinces. Currently,
we are training 124 primary and secondary school English teachers. Training
teachers to meet the requirements of the National Foreign Languages Project and to
be qualified for teaching the piloted English textbooks is of our primary concern.

4. Research Questions
The study aims at answering the following questions:
1. To what extent does the textbook "Tiếng Anh 6 - Tập 1" (Sách thí điểm) used
in Hai Duong lower-secondary schools match with the requirements of the NFL
2020 project and the Piloted English Language Curriculum for LSE?
2. What suggestions should be made to improve the book for future use in the
context of teaching and learning the book in Hai Duong lower secondary
schools?
5. Scope of the Study
In terms of theoretical framework for textbook evaluation, there have been
various checklists and criteria suggested and developed by different authors. These
evaluation frameworks vary considerably in their scope, form, detailed criteria and
the terms used to describe criteria. With respect to the study's subject matter, the

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textbooks for English 6 consists of two volumes. However, due to time constraints,
this research only focuses on evaluating the first volume - "Tiếng Anh 6 - Tập 1"
(Sách thí điểm). As any of the frameworks and checklists aim at evaluating
textbooks in general with no specifications for a specific textbook under a particular
context of evaluation like this, the evaluation criteria used in the study is a
combination of the evaluation frameworks and checklists proposed by
Cunningsworth (1984, 1995), Davies (2006), Ellis(1997), Hutchison and Waters
(1993), Littlejohn (1998), Mc Donald and Shaw (1993), Sheldon (1988), Skiero
(1991), Tomlinson (2003) and Williams (1983). The population is restricted to 60
sixth grade students and 6 teachers in 3 lower secondary schools in Hai Duong in
the academic year 2012-2013 and 1 editor and 5 writers of Tiếng Anh 6 - Tập 1"
(Sách thí điểm).
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that the study will contribute to the establishment of qualities for

findings of the study.
Part C - Conclusion- summarizes what has been studied and gives
recommendations for the improvement of the textbook.
1.8. Key Terms
Curriculum: 'Principles and procedures for the planning, implementation,
evaluation and management of an educational program. Curriculum study embraces
syllabus design (the selection and grading of content) and methodology (the
selection of learning tasks and activities)'. (Nunan, 1998:158).
Syllabus: ' A specification of what is to be taught in a language program and the
order in which it is to be taught. A syllabus may contain all or any of the following:
phonology, grammar, functions, notions, topics, themes, tasks'. (Nunan, 1988:159).
Materials: 'Anything which is used to help to teach language to learners. Materials
can be in the form of a textbook, a workbook, a cassette, a CD-Rom, a video, a
photocopied handout, a paragraph written on a whiteboard: anything which presents
or informs about the language being learnt'. (Tomlinson, 1998: xi).

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Foreign Language: 'A language which is not normally used for communication in
a particular society'. (Tomlinson, 1998: x)
Evaluation: 'The process of seeking to establish the value of something for some
purpose'. (Brown & Rogers, 2002: 289). 7

PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1. Teaching and Learning English in Vietnam under the National Foreign

NFL 2020 Project specifies the goals of teaching and learning English within the
national education system and identifies seven tasks at both macro and micro levels
for implementing the project in three different phases (2008-2010, 2011-2015 and
2016-2020) at a projected cost of 9,378 billion VND.
The main goals of the project include increasing the use of foreign
languages, mainly English in teaching and the foreign language competence
amongst Vietnamese young people: ' by 2020 most Vietnamese youth whoever
graduate from vocational schools, colleges and universities gain the capacity to use
a foreign language independently. This will enable them to be more confident in
communication, further their chance to study and work in an integrated and multi-
cultural environment with variety of languages. This goal also makes language as
an advantage for Vietnamese people, serving the cause of industrialization and
modernization for the country'. (Decision No. 1400/QD-TTg - See Appendix 5 -
XXIX).
In order to achieve these goals, ten specific tasks have been designed.
Centrally important to the tasks are the making of language programs complied with
the 10-year National Curriculum for English from primary, lower secondary and
secondary schools which will be launched nationwide from the year 2011 - 2015,
the completion of the textbook making, the procedures of assessment and training
courses on teaching methodology for teachers and the upgrading of teaching and
learning facilities, etc.
1.1.3. The Curriculum of Teaching English for Lower Secondary Schools
The curriculum of teaching English for lower secondary schools includes
two parts: general issues and suggestions for teaching contents for each grade and
level. Theoretical issues of the principles of curriculum construction and
development, goals, contents, methodology, testing and evaluation, and conditions

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for implementing the curriculum are stated in the first part. Suggestions for teaching


2011. The series comply with the Communicative Language Teaching and Learner-
centered approach, focusing on the use of language (pronunciation, vocabulary, and
grammar) to develop the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and
writing) and carefully catering for the cultural traits of Vietnam as well as countries
around the world, especially the English-speaking countries.
The textbook "Tiếng Anh 6" - Tập 1 (Sách Thí Điểm) is complied with regard
to the practical experience in ESL learning and teaching in Vietnam and under the
co-operation with the British Council and Pearson publisher. The book contains two
main themes: Our Communities and Our Heritages. Each theme is covered in three
units with three different topics. After each theme, there is a review. Each unit is
divided into seven sections: getting started, a closer look 1, a closer look 2, culture
& communication, skills 1, skills 2, looking back and project.
Section 1 - Getting Started - occupies two pages and is intended for one 45-
minute lesson in class. First, there is a conversation which sets the topic of the unit.
It is followed by the vocabulary and grammar items as the linguistic input for the
skills and activities of the sections that follow.
Section 2 - A Closer Look 1 - is designed as a 45-minute lesson with an aim
to present and practise the vocabulary and pronunciation of the unit focusing on
providing a variety of exercise types for intensive practice of vocabulary and
pronunciation.
Section 3 - A Closer Look 2 - introduces the main grammar points of the
unit. Grammar in use is presented in a short text / talk / interview followed by
explicit grammar tables and exercises. There are "Remember Boxes" to help
students avoid common errors.
Section 4 - Culture & Communication - helps students apply what they
have learnt in the previous sections in everyday life situations and provides for them
with cultural information about Vietnam and other countries in the world.
Section 5 - Skills 1 - builds and develops students' Reading and Speaking
skills. There is a reading text which is often based on the vocabulary and structures

specific goals set by education administrators and educational strategic planners.
1.2.2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Textbooks

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Textbook-based teaching has been a controversial issue among educators and
linguistics. Brumfit (1979: 30) points out that textbooks can deskill teacher and
make teachers depend on them. He claims that 'many of them don't' and 'even the
best textbooks take away initiative from teachers by implying that there is
somewhere an "expert" who can solve problems for the teacher and individual
students. Alwright (1982) in his famous paper 'What do we want teaching materials
for?' when considering goals, content, method and guidance in a textbook finds out
that 'the management of language learning is far too complex to be satisfactorily
catered for by a pre-packaged set of decision embodied in teaching materials'.
The counter-argument that a textbook is a convenient aid seems to receive
general agreement from a large number of authors such as O'Neil (1982), Williams
(1983), Hutchison (1984), Grant (1987), Cunningsworth (1995) and Ur (1996). This
view is further demonstrated by Richards (2001). In his opinion, textbooks "provide
the basis for the content of the lessons, the balance of skills taught and the kinds of
language practice the students take part in."
Evidently, in most countries in the world, a standard series of textbooks are
used for all school levels to ensure a logical consistency and normal progression of
lesson difficulty. Teachers are required to adopt these textbooks so that they match
the objectives of their course and meet the learning needs of their students. Learners
need a textbook because it defines what is to be learnt and what will be tested and
offers support for leaning outside class.
1.2.3. The Needs for Textbook Evaluation
There is no denial that textbook evaluation along with syllabus design,
learner assessment and the study of classroom process, etc. are centrally important
applied-linguistics activities. Textbook evaluation is one of the ways to overcome

involves measuring the value (or potential value) of a set of learning materials. It
involves making judgment about the effect of the materials on the people using
them".

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In short, it can be said that textbook evaluation is the process of judging the
necessary information systematically to see the value of it on its specific users,
taking the contextual factor into consideration.
1.2.5. Textbook Evaluation Criteria
It is obvious from a consideration of the effects of textbook evaluation that a
successful textbook has to meet a set of evaluation schemes and criteria. If this is
the case, what scheme and criteria should be conducted and used to determine the
success of a language program that a textbook reflects? In an attempt to answer this
question, many experts, notably Cunningsworth, 1984, 1995; Davies, 2006; Ellis,
1997; Hutchison and Waters, 1993; Littlejohn, 1998; Mc Donald and Shaw, 1993,
Sheldon, 1988; Skiero, 1991; Tomlinson, 2003 and Williams, 1983 have tried to
establish practical and applicable advice on textbook evaluation.
Williams (1983) proposes an evaluation scheme which assesses the
effectiveness of a material from pedagogical, linguistic, general, and technical
perspectives. Textbooks, therefore, should be evaluated on their inclusion of general
linguistic instructions and rules, their embrace of practice material and can function
to guide students' grammar and skills as well as pronunciation.
Cunningsworth (1984) gives a more detailed treatment of a coursebook
analysis. He suggests a checklist of six categories for course analysis: language
content, selection and gradation of language items, presentation and practice of new
language items, developing language skills and communicative abilities, supporting
materials motivation and the learners, conclusion and overall evaluation.
Cunningsworth (1995) gives a clear cut between two approaches to a
coursebook evaluation: impressionistic and in-depth evaluation. The first approach

Waters (1993). In this view, the first step is defining criteria which seek answers to
two questions: 'On what bases will you judge materials?' and 'Which criteria will
be more important?'. The second and third steps are subjective and objective
analyses which aim to find out the realizations of the criteria we want in the course
and how the material being evaluated realizes the criteria. The last step is matching
which clarifies how the material matches your needs.

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Ellis (1997:37) proposes an empirical micro-evaluation with a two-step
evaluation framework. In the first stage, L2 instruction and textbooks are assessed
according to predictive standards against the numerous established evaluation
checklists to be adopted. In the next stage, teachers / evaluators are called upon to
either "impressionistically" assess the material according to their own perspectives
of its efficacy or by involving the students and asking for their input on the material
used.
Littlejohn (1998:192) rejects Cunningsworth (1995)'s checklist, arguing that
they would involve 'making general impressionistic judgments on the materials'. He
tries to overcome these weaknesses by suggesting a framework for evaluation with
concerns about the physical aspect of the material and how they appear as a
complete set of book; aspects of tasks; and the overall aims of the materials, content
and tasks selection and sequencing, teacher's and learner's roles.
Tomlinson (2003) defines three types of material evaluation: pre-use
evaluation, whilst-use evaluation and post-use evaluation. He also agrees that
material evaluation is a procedure to measure some or all of the aspects such as:
appeal to learners; credibility to learners, teachers and administrators; validity;
reliability; ability to interest learners; ability to motivate learners; short-term and
long-term learning value; learners' and teachers' perception of the value of the
material; assistance given to teachers in terms of preparation, delivery and
assessment, etc.

do not provide a very specific scoring system (Tomlinson, 2003).
Although these approaches are the most common and likely straightforward,
the shaky theoretical basis of such checklists and the subjectivity of judgments have
often been a source of disappointment as it appears that some of the lists’ items are
impressionistic, subjective and do not fit the contextual factors of a particular
evaluation as 'they lack coverage, systematicity and / or a principled base'
(Tomlinson (2003 - 26)'. The answer, Tomlinson suggests, is that 'it is extremely
useful to develop a set of formal criteria for use on a particular evaluation and then
to use that set as a basis for developing subsequent context-specific sets'.

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1.2.6. Previous Studies on Textbook Evaluation
Tomlinson et al (2001) evaluated some textbooks published by leading UK
publishers: "Language in Use" and "True to Life" (by Cambridge University Press),
"Cutting Edge" and "Wavelength" (by Pearson Longman), "Inside Out" and
"Reward" (by MacMillan Heinemann Press). The overall criteria and coursebook-
specific criteria were carefully treated under eight categories and four categorized
respectively. Moreover, specific criteria for cassettes and CD ROM, teacher's book,
workbook and video were also used in this evaluative study. The author commented
on every single coursebook and drew seven positive trends and sixteen negative
trends in the UK's current courses. Some of the trends are:
 Positive trends:
1. The move towards stimulating more personal responses from the learner.
2. The attempt of many of the courses to encourage humour and fun.
 Negative trends:
1. Focusing on speaking and listening and consequently neglecting reading
and writing activities.
2. The neglect of activities which could make full sense of the mind by
stimulating multi-dimensional mental responses which are at the same time sensory,