MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
VINH UNIVERSITY
Pham Thi Luong Giang
AN EVALUATION OF THE BOOK “TARGET PET” FOR THE 1
ST
YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJORS AT VINH UNIVESITY FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language (TESOL)
Code: 60 14 01 11
MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION

Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Anh, MA.
Vinh, 2014
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STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
I certify my authorship of the M. A thesis submitted today entitled:“ An
evaluation of the book Target Pet for 1
st
year non-English majors at Vinh
university” in terms of the statement of requirement for the thesis and the
field study reports in TESOL program has been performed and interpreted
solely by myself, except where otherwise acknowledged and that this minor
or any part of the same had not been submitted for any other form for the
fulfillment of any other degrees or qualifications.
Vinh, August 27, 2014
Author’s signature
Pham Thi Luong Giang
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the suitability of the book “Target Pet” to
the non-English majors’ needs, level and learning goals and the requirements of the

teachers who taught me during the two-year course.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
4.1.1.3. Comments on the material evaluation in term of aims li
Sequence of content lviii
The content of the material does not go from easier to more difficult level. As can be
seen from the organization of content, the material is divided into three parts:
vocabulary, language focus and exam practice. These parts are repeated throughout
the book. Therefore, recycling the learned knowledge is available. Accordingly, it is
reasonable to state that the sequence of content completely fits the course
specification lviii
4.1.2.3 Comments on material evaluation in term of content lviii
4.3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MATERIAL IMPROVEMENT lxxviii
5.3. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY lxxxiii
5.4. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY lxxxiv
REFERENCES lxxxv
APPENDIX 2 VIII
III. Materials X
v
LIST OF FIGURES
REFERENCES lxxxv
vi
LIST OF TABLES
REFERENCES lxxxv
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
Course books have a great effect on the process of language teaching and learning
as suitable materials can stimulate effective teaching and learning. Thus, to have a
successful language- teaching program, it is essential to have good course books,

year non-
English majors at Vinh University from the perspective of teachers and students”
with the ambition that it will not only help improve the material’s quality but also
enhance the learning efficiency as well as stimulate students’ interest in language
learning.
1.2. AIMS OF THE STUDY
The aims of the study are as follow:
+ to assess the suitability of the course book to the level and the needs of the
students and the requirements of the course in relation to aims, content, and
methodology from the perspective of students and teachers.
+ to evaluate the effectiveness of the course book in helping the students achieve
the goals and objectives from the perspective of students and teachers.
+ to suggest the material adaptations in responding to the course requirements
and students’ needs.
1.3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
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In order to meet the aims of the study, the following research questions are
generated:
1. How far does the book “Target Pet” match the 1
st
year non - English
majors’ level, needs and the course requirements in relation to aims, content,
and methodology at Vinh university?
2. What adaptations should be made to the book “Target Pet” to make it
more effective in response to the course requirements and the non - English
majors’ needs?
1.4. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is based on Hutchinson and Waters’ (1987) criteria for evaluating the
book “Target Pet” in use for the first year non-English majors at Vinh University
with focus on the three following criteria: aims of the material, content of the

and purposes of materials evaluation, materials evaluators, models and criteria for
materials evaluation, and the concept of materials adaption are provided. Presented
in the last part of the chapter is literature review in the world and in Vietnam.
2.1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1.1. What are language- learning materials?
A textbook is considered to be one of the major tools for a foreign language
teaching. As textbooks are varied in purposes, it becomes difficult to make accurate
generalization about them. As a result, language practitioners have come up with
their own definition and description of it. According to Tomlinson (2001:66)
language- learning materials are defined as “anything which is used by teachers or
learners to facilitate the learning of a language. In other words, they can be anything
which is deliberately used to increase the learners’ knowledge and/ or experience of
the language”. He supposed keeping this pragmatic concept of materials in mind
can help materials developers to utilize as many sources of input as possible and,
even more importantly, can help teachers to realize that they are also materials
developers and that they are ultimately responsible for the materials that “can be
instructional in that they provide exposure to the language in use, they can be
elicitative in that they stimulate language use, or they can be exploratory in that
they facilitate discoveries about language use” (Tomlinson 2001:66)
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Ur (1996), used the term “course book” to refer to a textbook of which the teacher
and usually, each student has a copy, and which is in principle to be followed
systematically as the basis for a language course. Similarly, Hutchinson and Torres
(1994) also consider textbooks as providers of input into classroom lessons in the
forms of texts, activities, explanations and so on. In the same way, Sheldon (1987)
defines “textbook” as a published book whose explicit aim is to assist foreigner
learners of English in improving their linguistic knowledge and/or communicative
ability.
The above mentioned definitions characterize textbooks as a constant companion of
a learner, provider of classroom input, and a generative device for educational

materials, particularly course-books. One of the major concerns is that any given
course-book will be incapable of catering the diversity of needs, which exists in
most language classrooms.
Commercial materials (textbooks) are largely produced in various levels, and
available in the market. They can be for general English and English for specific
purposes.
When selecting commercial materials, it is important to match the materials with the
goals and objectives of the program, and to ensure that they are consistent with
one's beliefs about the nature of language and learning, as well as with learners'
attitudes, beliefs and preferences.
Sheldon in Nunan (1991:209) provides an extensive checklist of questions, which
can aid in the selection of commercial materials. He proposes that materials should
be evaluated according to criteria such as their rationale, accessibility, layout and
ease of use. A somewhat more accessible list of evaluative questions is provided by
Breen and Candlin (1987:14-23). Their checklist invites the teacher to adopt a
critical stance toward the materials' aims, appropriateness and utility.
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Furthermore, Littlejohn and Windeatt (1991:209) in Nunan suggest that
commercial materials can be evaluated from six different perspectives: (a) the
general or subject knowledge contained in the materials, (b) views on the nature and
acquisition of knowledge, (c) views on the nature of language learning, (d) role
relations implicit in materials, (e) opportunities for the development of cognitive
abilities, and (f) the values and attitudes inherent in the materials.
Commercial materials, such as the Headway series, Cutting Edge, Business
Objectives, etc, are produced through mainline educational publishers with one or
more authors. Sometimes, authors approach publishers for ideas for textbooks, or
sometimes publishers decide there is a need for a certain type of course and recruit
authors and others to develop the course. Published courses may also develop from
in-house materials.
The use of commercial textbooks in teaching has both advantages and

- They may distort content. Textbooks often present an idealized view of the world
or fail to represent real issues. In order to make textbooks acceptable in many
different contexts, controversial topics are avoided and instead, an idealized white
middle-class view of the world is portrayed as the norm.
- They may not reflect students' needs. Since textbooks are often written for global
markets they often do not reflect the interests and needs of students and hence may
require adaptation.
- They can deskill teachers. If teachers use textbooks as the primary source of their
teaching leaving the textbook and teacher's manual to make the major instructional
decisions for them the teacher's role can become reduced to that of a technician
whose primarily function is to present materials prepared by others.
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- They are expensive. Commercial textbooks may represent a financial burden for
students in many parts of the world.
Both the benefits and limitations of the use of textbooks need to be considered, and
if the textbooks being used in a program are judged to have some negative
consequences, remedial action should be taken, e.g. by adapting or supplementing
books or by providing appropriate guidance and support for teachers in how to use
them appropriately.
Cunningsworth (1995) proposes four criteria for evaluating textbooks particularly
course books:
- They should correspond to learners’ needs. They should match the aims and
objectives of language learning program.
- They should reflect the uses (present of future) which learners will make of the
language. Textbooks should be chosen to enable students to use language
effectively for their own purposes.
- They should take account of students’ need as learners should facilitate their
learning processes, without dogmatically imposing a rigid method.
-They should have a clear role as a support for learning. Like teachers, they mediate
between the target language and the learners.

textbooks are well planned, they can be inappropriate for teachers and students. The
counter-arguments for using textbooks are also listed by Ur (1996) as follows:
xvii
- Inadequacy: In every class, every learner has his/ her own learning needs: no one
textbook can possibly supply these satisfactorily.
- Irrelevance, lack of interest: the topics dealt with in the textbook may not
necessarily be relevant or interesting for any individual class.
- Limitation: a textbook is confining that is, its set structure and sequence may
inhibit a teacher’s initiative and creativity, which leads to boredom and lack of
motivation on the part of the learners.
- Homogeneity: Textbooks have their own rationale, chosen teaching, and learning
approach.
- Over-easiness: Teachers find it too easy to follow the textbook uncritically instead
of using their initiatives; they may find themselves functioning merely as mediators
of its content instead of as teachers in their own right.
In practice, the teacher should take into consideration the given advantages and
disadvantages when choosing a published textbook so as to enhance the strengths
and minimize the weaknesses which might incur in the course of teaching and
learning.
Published textbooks materials offer both good points and bad points, so choosing
which one as a teaching and learning material depends largely on the purposes of
the course as well as the available facilities and constraints of a particular situation.
2.1.3. Roles of teaching materials
Materials are also crucical ingredients in learning the intended curriculum. They are
a media through which teacher and pupils communicate with each other in an effort
to forward the teaching and learning process. The principal advantages of materials
in EFL/ESL classroom forwarded by Richards (2001) and Ur (1996) are:
+ They provide structure and syllabus for a program.
xviii
+ They help standardize instructions.

source for much of the language practice that occurs in the classroom.”
Richards (2001: 251) further explains that materials provide “basis for the content
of the lesson, balance of skills taught, and the kind of language practice students
take part in.” In other situations, textbooks may be used to supplement the teacher's
instructions. For learners, textbooks may provide a major source of contact they
have with the target language, excluding the input provided by the teacher. In the
case of novice teachers, textbooks may also be utilized as a form of teacher training;
that is, they provide the teachers with ideas on how to plan and teach lessons as well
as with formats that teachers can use. Much of the language teaching that occurs
throughout the world today could not take place without the extensive use of
commercial textbooks. Hence, learning how to use and adapt textbooks is an
important part of a teacher's professional knowledge.
It is true that in many cases, teachers and students rely heavily on textbooks, and
textbooks determine the components and methods of learning, that is, they control
the content, methods, and procedures of learning. Students learn what is presented
in the textbook, and the way the textbook presents material is the way students learn
it. The educational philosophy of the textbook will influence the class and the
learning process. Therefore, in most situations, materials are the center of
instruction and one of the most important influences on what goes on in the
classroom.
According to Nunan (1991), good teaching materials help inexperienced and poorly
trained teachers a lot, but they also help experienced teachers. Theoretically,
experienced teachers can teach English without a textbook. However, it is not easy
to do it all the time, though they may do it sometimes. Many teachers do not have
enough time to design supplementary materials, so they just follow the textbook.
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Textbooks, therefore, take on a very important role in language classes. That is also
the reason why the writer chooses one of the materials in use in her university for
evaluation to see if it is appropriate or not to the current teaching circumstance.
2.1.4. Materials evaluation

textbook fits its purpose and the practical needs of the students. For this reasons, the
teacher should shortly ask the key question represented by the word CATALYST.
C Communicative?
A Aims?
T Teachable?
A Available?
L Level?
Y Your impression?
S Students interest?
T Tried and tested?
The in- use evaluation involves measuring the value of materials whilst using them
or whilst observing them. Tomlinson (2003) has listed some basic points that can be
taken in to consideration in an in-use evaluation. These are: clarity of instruction,
clarity of layout, comprehensibility of texts, credibility of tasks, achievability of
tasks, achievement of performance, objectives potential for localization, practicality
of the materials, teachability of the materials, flexibility of the materials, appeal of
the materials, motivating power of the materials and impact of the materials.
Tomlinson (2003) and Grant (1987) stated post-use evaluation is probably the most
valuable (but least administrated) type of evaluation as it can measure the actual
xxii
effect of the materials on the users. Ways of measuring the post-use effect of
materials include: tests of what has been taught by the materials, tests of what the
students can do, examinations, interviews, questionnaires, criterion referenced
evaluation by users, post course diaries, post course reports and etc.
In addition to the above leading scholars, McDonough and Shaw (1993) offer a
working model which they hope will be an effective one to use for teachers working
in a variety of contexts. The models which they suggest is based on the view that it
is useful to perform an external evaluation of materials first in order to gain an
overview of the organization principles involved. After this, teachers can move on
to a detailed internal evaluation of the material in question match up with author’s

period of time, teaching materials need to be evaluated to see if they have worked
well for the intended situation and students.
According to Ellis (1997), there are two main reasons for carrying out materials
evaluation. Firstly, there may be a need to choose among the materials available the
most suitable ones to use for a particular situation. Secondly, there can be a need for
materials evaluation to determine whether the material, which has been chosen,
works for that situation after it has been used for a period of time. This may help in
deciding whether to use the material again or replace it with a better one.
2.1.4.4. Materials Evaluators
Robinson (1991), Tomlinson (1998), Richards (2001), and Dudley-Evan and St.
John (1998) state that materials evaluators can be either outsiders or insiders.
Outsiders are those who have not been involved in the program such as consultants,
inspectors and administrators. Accordingly, they may not fully understand the
teaching and learning situation in which the evaluation is being carried out. In
xxiv
addition, it may take them more time to be aware of the local situation such as
learners’ needs, facilities and time constraints so it may be difficult for them to
make truly judgments and recommendations of the program.
In contrast to the outsiders, the insiders are those who have been directly involved
in the language-teaching program such as teachers, students, course and materials
designers. Therefore, they can provide the most valid information in the evaluation
process. Also, their understanding of cultural and political factors of the institution
in which the evaluation takes place would enhance the reliability of judgments and
recommendations. To stress the role of the insiders as evaluators, Richard (2001:
296) states that the involvement of the insiders plays an important part in the
success of evaluation because “as a consequence, they will have greater degree of
commitment to acting on its result”. He also adds that the teachers can watch out for
when the materials are being used. Consequently, they can know exactly the extent
that the materials work for their purposes and they can make modifications to
improve the effectiveness of the materials. However, there are also disadvantages to