Analysis of an English Language Textbook - Case Study Example

Analysing a text book Your name Subject Date Introduction Education system in Saudi Arabia territory is governed by a general principle that stipulates that every individual citizen; young or adult, is entitled to pursue learning. Thus the government of Saudi Arabia strives to provide all its citizens with learning. The kingdom of that nation initially believed that Arabic was the official education language in majority of its education stages. However, Saudi Arabia has to come to realize that there is growing need of opening up the possibilities of interacting and communication with other outside people from the Kingdom. Thus the nation has realized the significance of learning an international language; English. No wonder the education system in Saudi Arabia aims at offering its students with adeptness in English so as to make them acquire appropriate knowledge in various fields: new inventions, arts and science fields. That was considered to allow knowledge transfer to other societies. The effort was also deemed to lead to the spread of Islamic faith and Muslim services to other humanity. The above reasons have motivated the evaluation and analysis of an English language textbook that is studied by the fourth grade elementary private school in Saudi Arabia. As a teacher in Saudi Arabia, I personally taught this book to students in grade four for a period of two years in Emirati’s private school in Dubai. This study will focus on analyzing and evaluating the design and illustration, physical appearance, objectives, flexibility, content, teaching methods, teaching practice and testing of the book. According to Housen & Pierrard (2005), after evaluation of the book, it would give teachers, parents and students a tool of being assured of a good and reliable way of learning English. The quality of the book will be analysed on the basis of the criteria’s below; General appearance, Design and illustration, accompanying materials, Topic appropriate? Are the book objectives met? learning components, socio-cultural contexts, skills development, teachability, flexibility, teaching methods, and practice and testing. General appearance The overall appearance of fourth Grade English Language Textbook for Emirati’s students’ private Schools is good. To begin with, the cover of the book is very attractive and informative. The type as well as font size used in this textbook are suitable and right for fourth graders. All lessons in this textbook have been given a precise title. The pictures have beautiful colors especially on the cover where a person is riding a white horse. This is attractive to the learners. Design and illustration Illustration and design of the book are appropriate. Whereas there are a number of designs to realize impact, consistency has been ensured in the use of icons, headings, labels along with italics. The lessons are illustrated well. For instance on page 4, the sub head listen and read, the word listen is illustrated by a cartoon picture listening to something with earphones on the ears. Given that most of the illustrations in fourth Grade English language textbook are attractive and different, they have been designed to stimulate fourth grade students to be more creative in school. Accompanying materials The materials accompanying this fourth Grade English language textbook are quite appropriate. For instance, the CD-ROM, for instance, that comes with this book is appropriate too. The activities and exercises provided in this book are very effective. The activities on mini-grammar transcripts aids in attracting the listening attention of students. With the help of audio and video CDs that accompany these textbook, learners are provided with a means of identifying preferences of their English teachers, use of English terminology, practical concerns and flexibility in vocabulary usage. Topic appropriateness The appropriateness of topics in this book is ensured. Topics in this fourth Grade English Language Textbook are engaging and varied in order to attract and fascinate fourth grade students that have different personalities and interests. Those topics in the book not only encourage fourth grade students to express their individual views, but also enable those fourth graders to think decisively. Suitable topics in this textbook carry the right contents of English language that generally impacts fourth grade students significantly after learning them. For instance, in unit 1 page 3, the topic learnt is on ‘simple present wh-questions’. This teaches the fourth graders simple English language conversations like, ‘Hello children. My name is Miss Linda Hashim’. Flexibility The content contained in this fourth grade English language textbooks does not have any form of errors that fourth grade students can imbibe as correct English language. The textbook is flexible enough to e babel to be taught comfortable and understood well by the fourth graders. Elimination of all errors in the book is a big plus since absorbing of such errors by learners is likely to have bad effects on their learning. Learning components The language component of the book is suitable. The book deals with the main items of grammar that is apt to fourth grade students. Additionally, the book is also comprised of sufficient materials for teaching and enriching one on vocabulary. Moreover, the book has adequate material to assist in teaching pronunciation work. The language component of this book is important and is justified as a teaching material which directly influences the English understanding level of students that learns it. The material of this book gives evidence on how theoretical directions in English can be followed when teaching English language to these students. Secondly, the materials and vocabulary in this textbook provides a tool to designate the suitability of specific techniques and approaches under some conditions to indicate whether they really meet up the claims that were designed for them. Teachability The language of this book assesses the usefulness of the vocabulary that is expected for fourth graders from linguistic, technical, pedagogical and general perspectives. The material of this textbook comprise of general linguistic rules together with instructions to simplify linguistic techniques of presentation such as rules of grammar and syntax. It also cuddles sufficient material of reading even long passages. All these components of language in this book aim at teaching appropriate grammar and vocabulary that are vital in all English language. The material on pronunciation work guides students on public speaking skills and provides phonetics to guide these students in learning of English language. Are the book objectives met? Given that deciding to use this textbook in school curriculum affects the whole generation of Arab nation, properly inspected text in the book that is intended to be learned by all students, it is guaranteed that the needs of education to students at fourth grade are appropriately met. Swan & Smith (2001), state that the objectives of fourth grade English language textbook are very essential. In general, the book meets the terms of its general objectives in school of teaching English language in United Arab in Emirati. The visual display objectives of the book also fulfil the wants and needs of fourth graders. Socio-cultural context Socio-cultural context of fourth Grade English Language Textbook is appropriate. The social and cultural background of the book is founded on linguistic basis of Arab nations which focuses on present issues and concepts of Muslims. For instance on unit 1 page 3 and 5, it’s evident that the use of veil by the teacher demonstrates the socio-cultural context of the Muslim community in the text book. The pictures of the pupils on unit 1page 5 enhances the appreciation of cultures of English-speaking people and incorporating those cultures within the Muslim culture of Arab nations. Also in page 6 from unit one in the same book, the song mention the name of God (Allah) this shows that socio cultural context is keenly expressed in this text book. The socio-cultural context of this book endeavor to equip Saudi fourth grade students with the skills of English speaking cultures that might help their needs for commercial and academic purposes. The English language is considered to be a global language in the present days. Regarded as a dominant language in the international market, Muslim students that would be interested in taking on international dealings will require skills of English language. Students with a good grasp of English skills will benefit from various options such as seeking quality education from good colleges in Australia, the United States, New Zeeland and Great Britain where they would easily adjust to current Western culture and handle it well. Based on the fact that Saudi Arabia has been having long standing ties with Europe and United States of America, its students stand high chances of benefiting from learning English irrespective of career choice. Even children from Arab nations that learn English language and remains in their nations, are likely to meet people that speak only English language without understanding Arabic. The ongoing globalization trend is creation of a multilingual people. Educating Saudi Arabian children with skills of English will surely bring in new opportunities in future for them to take on. As a result, the study finds it vital to analyze an English language book being utilized by fourth grade students as it will form the basis for learning by these students. Skills development The book’s skill development is well provided. There are four major skills that have been adequately covered in this book. There is coverage of enough materials that has been also incorporated in skills work. Material on listening has been recorded well to be very authentic and is accompanied by background questions and information along with activities. Apart from accessibility of adequate reading material in the book, there are also plenty of spoken English materials in the textbook. Writing activities available in this textbook are appropriate in terms of guidance, amount of length and degree of accuracy. The book has been designed with a highly evaluative approach that is systemic and is being applied in education system in Arab nations. The textbook has inherently evaluation material that was believed to be complex enough to teach second language in an area that Arabic had always been the first language. The skill development of the book has spawned a number of evaluation paradigms in English. These skills are believed to further enable design together with implementation of another comprehensive measurement framework in English that would allow for more consistent standards of assessment and also impose optimal criteria of design of other textbooks. The book has an evaluative system that assesses the efficacy of the material meant for fourth graders from linguistic, pedagogical, technical and general perspectives. The skill development of other textbooks should also be made to include general linguistic rules and instructions and simplify their linguistic techniques of presentation like rules of grammar and syntax and embrace material of practicing reading of passages. All these developments which are found in text books, not only teach grammar and vocabulary in English language, but also guide the writing skills and provide phonetics guides to these students (Wardhaugh, 2011). Practice and testing There is sufficient reading material. There is sufficient material for spoken English. Writing activities are suitable in terms of length, degree of accuracy, and amount of guidance. The textbook strengths The strengths of the textbook are numerous. Firstly, it lessens the strains of teaching this language by teachers in countries that are not native speakers of English. The book is efficient as it has several ways of relieving pressures on both teachers and learners during teaching. The textbook reduces preparation time since it offers ready-made activities and avails concrete classroom samples to show progress that can satisfy every external stakeholder. Secondly, the textbook is essential as it sets the content and directs how the English lessons should be taught. Similarly, the book has plenty of significant images that can reflect the beliefs and attitudes that teachers and students have towards the textbook. This has believed to impact well on how both parties use the textbook. Weaknesses of the text book that should be improved Gass & Selinker (1993) argue that most books have varied weaknesses in their layouts. Even though this particular book is very convenient in many aspects: material presentation, assisting in achievement of continuation and consistency, giving fourth grade learners a sense of progress, cohesion and education system, aiding teachers to prepare as well as making learners to revise well, it also has weaknesses. Opponents of this course book argue that many weaknesses emerge from the book. To begin with, the book is inevitably reductionist and superficial in terms of covering the points of English language and in terms of providing experience of the language. For instance, on unit 1 page 6, the song mention the name of God (Allah) this makes the book suitable for Islamic countries giving little room for the book to be taught in other non-Islamic countries. In addition, it is considered that the book lacks the capability of catering for its users’ dissimilar needs. Moreover, the book imposes the use of a uniformity approach and syllabus that eliminates power and initiative from teachers. All the above weaknesses can be improved and worked upon to make the book more suitable for the learners. Conclusion In conclusion, the analysis of the book will give a reference for subsequent improvement and revisions of some aspects of this elementary textbook. Furthermore, selection of this book for evaluation was based on the fact that the book constitutes the unit for primary education in English language. It is in primary that majority of students encounter their first foreign language. English skills have been developed well. The learner’s skills of English language will not be of underestimated value in the international business environment. This is because Saudi Arabian children will be competitive and progressive in the global market as they would have been equipped and educated with suitable English skills found in English language. The textbook was chosen because it was recently published and hence if accepted to be taught at grade four level, it will lead to future success of English language teaching in the country. References Gass, S. & Selinker, L. (1993). Language Transfer in Language Learning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Housen, A. & Pierrard, M. (2005). Investigations in Instructed Second Language Acquisition. New York: Mouton De Gruyter. Swan, M. & Smith, B. ( 2001). Learner English: A Teacher's Guide to Interference and Other Problems: Volume 1. London: Cambridge University Press. Wardhaugh, R. (2011). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. New York: Blackwell Publishing. Read More