Evaluating EAP notetaking textbooks: Eight key questions

Joseph Siegel

doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2020.100952

Abstract

The importance and presence of notetaking in L2 educational contexts has gradually increased to a point where many now recognize notetaking as an essential academic skill for EAP preparatory and EMI courses worldwide. In order to meet the increasing demand for notetaking, materials writers and commercial publishers have designed and produced a number of notetaking textbooks. Despite their availability on the market and frequent use in EAP and other L2 courses, the ability of the average teacher to discern the quality of materials for notetaking may be underdeveloped. This article presents a series of eight questions that can be used as a basis for evaluating and comparing the quality and content of notetaking textbooks with a view to better preparing teachers to understand what notetaking is, how it can be taught, and what materials can and do offer.

Highlights

Teachers have long been evaluating textbooks and other teaching and learning materials available on the commercial market
With the rapid rise of EAP courses and EMI around the world, the skill of notetaking has become more prominent in the TESOL field
The purpose of this paper is to present a set of eight prompts that can be used for the evaluation of commercial notetaking materials

Summary

Introduction

Teachers have long been evaluating textbooks and other teaching and learning materials available on the commercial market. To assist teachers in doing so, principles and key evaluation questions have been offered in the literature (e.g., Sheldon, 1988; Tomlinson, 2010) By considering such evaluative points, teachers and course planners are able to apply objective criteria and make measured judgments when comparing commercial textbooks to each other in order to make logical and justifiable materials choices. The set of criteria includes a range of questions, some of which take a broad view of the textbook in question while others focus at the level of individual units, chapters or pages of the textbook By considering these points in relation to the numerous textbooks currently on the market, it is hoped that teachers will better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the selected textbook and its potential to support the learning and development of L2 notetaking. The purpose here is rather to introduce the principles and invite teachers to apply them when evaluating notetaking materials

Background

Eight criteria for notetaking textbook evaluation

To what extent are goals in the Table of Contents specific to notetaking?

To what extent do specific activities allow for individual flexibility?

Conclusion