A Comparative Evaluation Of Two Editions Of English Textbooks For Sixth Graders In Vietnam

Textbooks,as one of the key components of language instruction,are closely related to the achievement of teaching and learning objectives.Textbook evaluation is regarded as an important means to the improvement of the quality of language education.The present study was conducted to comparatively evaluate two editions of English textbooks for Vietnamese sixth graders,namely Tieng Anh 6(2002)and Tieng Anh 6 series(2011).The objectives of the study were to investigate(1)the strengths and weaknesses of the two editions,(2)the effectiveness of the two editions as English textbooks for sixth graders in Vietnam,and(3)the improvements that need to be made for the two editions.The research method employed in the study is a mixed approach,in which the quantitative data obtained from an online survey with 288 lower secondary English teachers across Vietnam are analyzed in combination with the qualitative data collected from the teachers' opinions and the student's books of the two editions.The evaluation is based on an evaluative checklist synthesized from checklists previously developed by various authors.The questionnaire used in the quantitative study,which includes 40 statement-type items,was developed from the checklist and had been tested for its reliability through Cronbach's a and item-total correlation tests before it was used in the main study.In the analysis part,the two editions are evaluated against nine major criteria,namely General Appearance,Objectives,Teaching Principles and Methodology,Layout and Design,Topic Content,Activities and Tasks,Language Content,Language Skills,and Teachability and Flexibility.The results of the descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests are then presented to evaluate and compare the two editions in terms of each item.The results of the study reveal that the new edition surpasses the old edition in almost all of the nine factors in the checklist.The research findings are summarized as follows:(1)Though the teacher-centered approach suggested in the old edition is familiar to Vietnamese users,it makes the students' role become passive in the learning process.Besides,the contents and activities in the textbook are limited and thus do not cater for different groups of learners.Moreover,unattractive cover pages and a lack of photos to illustrate the texts also downgrade its appealing effects on users.By contrast,although the teaching approach suggested in the new edition is quite new and challenging,this series covers a variety of up-to-date topics and useful activities and tasks that encourage learners to participate in meaningful practice and enhance their learning motivation.The series not only helps learners acquire linguistic knowledge and master their language skills but also directs them towards self-instruction and builds their autonomous learning in the long run.Besides,colorful illustrations and well-organized lessons make it appealing to Vietnamese sixth graders.(2)Without major modifications,it is hard for the old edition to meet the new foreign language learning objectives set by the MOET since it fails to provide adequate and qualified materials to help learners master the four language skills and build their self-confidence in authentic communication.As compared with the old edition,the new edition is more appropriate for Vietnamese sixth graders to overcome obstacles in language learning and achieve the goals addressed in the National Curriculum.(3)Based on the findings,several suggestions are proposed to improve the two editions.Regarding the old edition,the teaching approach should encourage learners' active role in the class.Furthermore,the textbook content needs to be supplemented with more interesting topics and more variety of activities and tasks to better meet the needs of different groups of learners.The appearance and organization of the textbook also need to be changed to become more attractive to young learners.As for the new edition,more attention should be paid to its font size and illustrations to make it more eye-catching and appealing.Besides,more practice on stress,intonation,and word linking should be supplemented to help learners improve their pronunciation.Writing and listening activities should also be modified with more topics and genres which are relevant to young learners' life experience.Finally,accompanying materials of both editions should be made available to support teachers and students in their teaching and learning process.