Developing Content-Based Criteria for EFL Textbooks: The Case of Iranian Junior & Senior High School Levels

Mohsen Masoomi,Vida Rahiminezhad,Gholam-Reza Abbasian

doi:10.5539/ijel.v6n7p105

Abstract

<p>Images are part of the content of the English textbooks and since junior high school curriculum is currently being underdevelopment, developing criteria for the images of the content of high school textbooks needs attentive consideration. The images need to be chosen according to the needs of students and those objectives found at the higher level documents. This research is conducted based on mixed approach in which students’ need is surveyed and data gathered by sifting through the higher level documents. Also, exploring the goals and objectives of the higher level documents, the criteria are obtained and determined by which the content was developed. In addition, the Delphi method is applied to measure the validity of the developed content. The study population at this research consisted of all students in the seventh grade (the first grade of high school), the third grade Secondary School and the first grade high school in five provinces of Iran, including Tehran, Semnan, Kurdistan, Khuzestan and East Azerbaijan counting 394 boys and 396 girls who completed the questionnaire. Also, 10 accessible experts and practitioners in English curriculum participated in developing and validating the criteria. One of the findings of this research indicates that 321 students interested in real images at the first rank and 306 other students fascinated with colored ones, at the second rank respectively.</p>

Highlights

1.1 Statement of the ProblemIn the realm of language acquisition a considerable number of language scholars have maintained the substantial role of textbooks, alongside with that of teachers and learners
The study population at this research consisted of all students in the seventh grade, the third grade Secondary School and the first grade high school in five provinces of Iran, including Tehran, Semnan, Kurdistan, Khuzestan and East Azerbaijan counting 394 boys and 396 girls who completed the questionnaire
The predominant function of content in relation to curriculum design has been viewed from the perspective of a traditional domain where the situational model of curriculum is built upon four major elements of content, objectives, methods and evaluation (Wright, 1989)

Summary

Introduction

In the realm of language acquisition a considerable number of language scholars have maintained the substantial role of textbooks, alongside with that of teachers and learners. Since English is taught as a foreign but not a second language in Iran, classroom serves as the essential source of exposure to English for students. Textbook play an important role in exposing the students to the English Language (Dudley-Evans & St John, 2000). It means that the textbook which determines the classroom activates, influences teachers’ teaching methods, and student’s roles. Richards (2007) notes that materials provide the main input for the students and the type of the “language practice that occurs in the classroom.” It means that the textbook which determines the classroom activates, influences teachers’ teaching methods, and student’s roles. Richards (2007) notes that materials provide the main input for the students and the type of the “language practice that occurs in the classroom.”

Methods

Results

Conclusion