Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials
Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials
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评估 ELT 教科书和材料
DOI：
10.1093/elt/42.4.237
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发表时间：
1988
期刊：
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Leslie E. Sheldon
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Leslie E. Sheldon
ELT课程簿出版是一个数百万英镑的行业，但是产品评估的整个业务是偶然的，并且经常被研究。需求。先进的。 ）我自己的观点是，这个问题对教师来说更具情感性和争议性；喜欢探索这种强烈反应的原因，并提出可能的评估解决方案，因为无论我们是否喜欢，这些课程都代表了学生和老师的任何ELT计划特定的核心销量标志着执行教育决定，其中有相当大的专业，财务投资，这意味着对评估课程的定义和应用是至关重要的。不带同样的伯恩，在某种程度上，这些评估标准仍然是隐式的，或者可以在当地的情况下更非正式地定义自己。感情在他们的看法是有效的，拯救劳动的工具之间，以及“垃圾群众的群众群体时尚销售”（Brumfit 1980：30）。 （Greenall）1984：14）由于强调矛盾和潜在的兴趣冲突，其创建，商业剥削，公众评估，选择和最终的课堂用途经常被视为一方面的妥协。而且，在其他方面，财务上的可行性。
ELT coursebook publishing is a multi-million pound industry, yet the whole business of product assessment is haphazard and under-researched. Coursebooks are often seen by potential consumers-teachers, learners and educational purchasers-as market ephemera requiring invidious compromises between commercial and pedagogical demands. Some practical and theoretical reasons for such grassroots discontent are discussed, as areprevious textbookstudies and qualitative 'checklists’. The state of the informational assistance available to intending purchasers is also examined. Finally, a set of ‘common core’ qualitative criteria is advanced, whose purpose it would be to make evaluation and selection more systematic and informed.1 According to Hutchinson and Waters, textbook evaluation is basically a straightforward, analytical ‘matching process: matching needs to available solutions’ (Hutchinson and Waters 1987:97). My own view is that this issue is rather more emotive and controversial for teachers; many would agree with Swales (1980) that textbooks, especially coursebooks, represent a ‘problem’, and in extreme cases are examples of educational failure. I would like to explore the reasons for such strong reactions, and to put forward possible evaluative solutions. I wish to concentrate on coursebooks because, whether we like it or not, these represent for both students and teachers the visible heart of any ELT programme. The selection of a particular core volume signals an executive educational decision in which there is considerable professional, financial and even political investment. This high profile means that the definition and application of systematic criteria for assessing coursebooks are vital. Supplementary textbooks and materials on the other hand may not carry the same burden. The evaluative criteria for these can to some extent remain implicit, or be allowed to define themselves more informally in the local situation. Classroom attitudes ELT coursebooks evoke a range of responses, but are frequently seen by teachers as necessary evils. Feelings fluctuate between the perception that they are valid, labour-saving tools, and the doleful belief that ‘masses of rubbish is skilfully marketed’ (Brumfit 1980:30). In basic terms, there seems to be a ‘coursebook credibility gap’ (Greenall 1984:14) because of emphatic contradictions and potential conflicts of interest in their creation, commercial exploitation, public assessment, selection, and ultimate classroom use. ELT books are frequently seen as poor compromises between what is educationally desirable on the one hand and financially viable on the other. In simple terms, they often do not seem to provide good value for money.