Course Book Evaluation Checklist

A. Practical Considerations

1 - The Course Book Package / Value / Availability

o how many items compose the total course book package?

o how many books would the students have to carry?
o which components are available for the students?
o is there a guide / route map through all the components of the package?
o is the price reasonable taking in consideration the students social context?
o is it available locally?
o where can it be purchased?

2 Organisation and design

o is there a logical organisation of the units?

o is there a uniform sequence in every unit or does it allow different approaches?
o is the organisation and layout age appropriate?
o are the visuals colourful / attractive?
o are visuals decorative or thought provoking?
o is it interesting?
o is there an appropriate mix of graphics and text?
o is there an effective use of headings?
o are there vocabulary lists, irregular verbs charts or reference sections for
grammar?

3 Cultural Component

o does it include local/regional content?

o is there an accurate reflection of local/foreign culture?
o Are the social and cultural contexts in the course book comprehensible to the
learners?
o is it free of stereotypes? are other groups represented, with reference to ethnic
origin, occupation, disability?
o is it cultural sensitive?
o is it free of ideological tendencies?
B. Language Related Considerations

1 - Methodology

o what approach to language teaching/learning is followed by the course book?

o is it appropriate to learners context and teachers beliefs?
o are learners encouraged to use the language actively?
o are all the skills covered equally or is there more emphasis in one?
o is mother tongue used?
o do materials allow adaptation, creativity and personalisation?
o does it promote higher order cognitive skills?
o do the materials promote the integration of skills in realistic contexts?

2 Specifics of language work

o is the language used authentic

o does it respect / acknowledges the variety of English accents
o does the material progress in terms of difficulty
o does it allow for reinforcement and consolidation work

3 Exercises

o is there a balance between free and controlled exercises?

o do the exercises promote communication?
o are the exercises meaningful?
o are the number of exercises adequate?
o are exercises balanced to help under / over achievers ?
o do the exercises respect different learning styles?

4- User definition

o is it well-defined?
o does the text content accurately reflect this definition?
o are there exact descriptions of what the students should be able to once they
have completed the texts? (e.g.- CEF at B1 Level)

5 Learners needs

o is the course book sensitive to different learning styles?

o does the course book provide additional material for autonomous learning?
o does the course book encourage students to take a degree of responsibility for
 their own learning (for example by setting their own individual learning
targets)?
o do learning activities have evaluation grids which will help learners to evaluate
their performance?

adapted from: http://www.teflweb-j.org/v1n1/garinger.html

References

- Cunningsworth, Alan, and Brian Tomlinson. Evaluating and Selecting Efl

Teaching Materials. London: Heinemann Educational, 1984.

- Mukundan, J. Nimehchisalem, V and Hajimohammadi,R. Developing an

English language Textbook Evaluation Checklist: A Focus Group Study,
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2011

-Sousa, Diana and Hurst, Nicolas, Weighing the Anchor: A Critical Approach to
Course Book Selection, APPI Journal, 2011

- Wang, Jiazhi, Evaluating an EFL Textbook A New English Course