Evaluation of Secondary School EFL Textbook Used in Public Schools: A Case of Oman

Abstract

Textbooks are undoubtedly the most important components of English language classrooms and fulfill a range of needs in terms of language acquisition. Considering their pivotal role in language learning, their routine evaluation is essential to confirm whether they are instrumental in achieving the desired outcomes or not. This study evaluated the secondary school grade 11 and 12 English language textbooks, ‘Engage with English’ (EWE), used in the Omani public schools using a mixed-methods approach. Sixty-one high school teachers evaluated the textbook using the adapted version of Cunningsworth’s (1995) textbook evaluation checklist which comprises 38 items with the core areas including alignment with the curricular aims, design, organization, content, themes, methodology, and teacher’s book. To get deeper insights, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with eight high school teachers and two staff members of the Directorate of Curriculum Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Oman. The student perceptions (n=100) were gathered using a short survey questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed using Smart PLS- Structural Equation Modeling while qualitative data were categorized and analyzed thematically. The findings indicate overall positive results in most of the areas assessed, however, there is scope for further improvement in developing writing skills, pronunciation practice, appropriate vocabulary, critical thinking skills, and study skills. The study has pedagogical implications for curriculum designers, researchers, teachers, and students.



Author Information
Samia Naqvi, Middle East College, Oman

Paper Information
Conference: BCE2022
Stream: Language Development & Literacy

This paper is part of the BCE2022 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Naqvi S. (2022) Evaluation of Secondary School EFL Textbook Used in Public Schools: A Case of Oman ISSN: 2435-9467 – The Barcelona Conference on Education 2022: Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2022.16
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2022.16


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