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ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN

LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE

Teachers attitudes to and practices of adapting and

Supplementing a textbook (Peacekeeping English Project:

Addis Ababa and Debrezeit Centres in focus).

By

ADDISU YILHAL

Addis Ababa

May, 2012


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ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

DEPATRMENT OF FOREIGN

LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE

Teachers attitudes and practices on adapting and

Supplementing a textbook (PEP: Addis Ababa and

Debrezeit Centres in focus).

By

ADDISU YILHAL

Approved by the Examining Board

_______________________ ____________ _______

Advisor signature Date

________________________ _____________ ________

Examiner signature Date

________________________ ______________ ________

Examiner signature Date


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ABSTRACT

This study investigates the attitudes and practices that teachers have regarding

adapting and supplementing a textbook. The practice of adapting and supplementing a

textbook highly rests on teachers attitudes towards it.

This research is designed in a descriptive manner to best probe the existing teachers

attitudes to and practices of adapting and supplementing a textbook. Both qualitative

and quantitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. And random

sampling technique was employed to select centres and subjects for this particular

study.

However, there are some challenges that teachers might face while adapting and

supplementing but, they are not insurmountable. It is true that textbooks are vitallyimportant and at the focal point for the commencement of language learning. It is

pretty good to point out the fact that textbooks give the structure and route map of the

entire lesson. But they are not the only ones.

This paper explores how EFL teachers adapt the activities and contents in the textbook

or supplement their textbooks by designing meaningful, enjoyable, relevant and

effective learning materials of their own. There are some guidelines that teachers need

to follow when they try to produce their own materials to win trust from users.

Hence, this study come up with findings regarding teachers attitudes towards

textbooks, their experiences on adapting and supplementing a textbook to maximize

language learning and to entertain variety and the challenges teachers face while

executing these activities. Teachers attitudes to and practices of adapting andsupplementing a textbook is negative. Teachers heavily rely on the textbook and they

are textbook enthusiasts. Moreover, they lack the practice of adapting and

supplementing a textbook as they described it useless and time taking.


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Acknowledgements

In the course of this research, some people directly or indirectly involved and I am grateful to all.

First of all, I would like to thank my advisor Amanuel Gebru (asst. Prof.), for his precious and

constructive comments and continual encouragement. His contribution for the completion of this

research was immense.

I am grateful to all my friends who supported me morally and financially to carry out this research

with maximum enthusiasm and effort.

Last but not least, my heartfelt gratitude goes to my family for giving me endless support and

encouragement during my two-year stay in the university.


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Table of Contents

Pages

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 11.1.Background of the study ................................................................................................... 11.2.Statement of the problem .................................................................................................. 41.3.Objectives of the study ...................................................................................................... 71.4.Research questions ............................................................................................................ 81.5.Significance of the study ................................................................................................... 81.6.Scope of the study ............................................................................................................. 81.7.Limitations of the study .................................................................................................... 91.8.Operational definitions ...................................................................................................... 9

2.Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 10

2.1. General overview of textbooks ...................................................................................... 102.2.What aspects of materials should we examine? ............................................................... 122.3.Connecting the course books to the students lives ........................................................... 12

2.3.1.Humanizing and personalizing the course book ...................................................... 13

2.3.2.Localizing the course book ...................................................................................... 14

2.4.Course books and teacher training ................................................................................... 152.4.1 Textbooks: help or hindrance ................................................................................. .16

2.5.Teachers attitudes towards textbooks ............................................................................. 172.6.Common phobias of teachers ........................................................................................... 182.7.The concept of adaptation ................................................................................................ 19

2.7.1 Reasons for adapting and supplementing textbooks ............................................... 21

2.8.Evaluating, adapting and supplementing a textbook........................................................ 232.8.1 Evaluating textbooks ................................................................................................... 23

2.8.1.1 Pedagogical factors to evaluate ............................................................................ 23

2.8.2 Adapting textbooks ...................................................................................................... 24

2.8.3 When to supplement .................................................................................................... 26

2.9.Arguments about using a textbook ................................................................................... 262.10 Who is in charge? ............................................................................................................ 29

2.11. What are supplementary materials? ............................................................................... 30

2.12. Authentic materials and authenticity .............................................................................. 30


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2.12.1 Important factors in choosing authentic materials .................................................... 31

2.13 Teacher-made worksheets and task cards ....................................................................... 32

2.13.1 Guidelines for teacher-made materials ....................................................................... 32

2.13.2 Why do teachers design their own material ............................................................... 32

3.Research Design and Methodology ............................................................................................ 35

3.1.Research design ................................................................................................................ 353.2.Subjects of the study ........................................................................................................ 353.3.Sample size....................................................................................................................... 353.4.Sampling method ............................................................................................................. 363.5.Data collection instruments .............................................................................................. 36

3.51 Questionnaire ........................................................................................................... 36

3.5.2 Interview ................................................................................................................. 36

3.5.3 Observation ............................................................................................................. 37

3.6.Sources of data ................................................................................................................. 373.7.Methods of data analysis .................................................................................................. 37

4.Data Analysis, Presentation and Interpretation .......................................................................... 38

4.1 subjects background ......................................................................................................... 38

4.2 Data from the questionnaire .............................................................................................. 37

4.3 Interview Results ............................................................................................................... 53

4.4 Observation report ............................................................................................................. 55

5.Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................... 57

5.1.Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 575.2.Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 59


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List of Tables

Table-1. Metaphors that teachers use to describe the textbook ..................................................... 39

Table-2. Who knows the students needs ...................................................................................... 40

Table-3. Teachers attitudes towards adapting and supplementing ............................................. 41

Table-4. The extent to which the textbook meets students levels ................................................ 44

Table-5. Teachers experiences on evaluating a textbook ............................................................ 46

Table-6. The contents and skills in the textbook ........................................................................... 47

Table-7. Teachers practices on adapting and supplementing the textbook.................................. 50

Table-8. Teachers Challenges while adapting or supplementing ................................................ 52


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CHAPTER ONE

1. Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Textbooks play a pivotal role in language classrooms in all types of educational institutions-

schools and colleges. As most, if not all, scholars agree with, textbooks are at the heart of any

educational setting. According to Spratt(2005:114) Course books are organized according to a

syllabus, and they are often carefully graded and presented in a helpful sequence for learning, so

that learners knowledge builds up step by step through the book. This emphasizes that textbooks

are produced based on the syllabus and they are very good assets because they contain

meticulously graded and structured language input. Materials play a key role in language teaching.

According to Sheldon (1988:27)Textbooks are at the centre of educational enterprise, as they

offer students a rich array of new and potentially interesting facts, and open the door to the world

of fantastic experience. This, in clear terms, states that materials (textbooks) in the teaching

situations play a great role as they give a route map and stability for both teachers and students.

But they are not adequate by themselves and they need to be supplemented with materials of real

life English as the students use real life English in the real world for day to day communication.

Harmer,J (2008:32) states, when teachers open a page in their course book, they have to decide

whether or not they should use the lesson on that page. Is the language at the right level? Is the

topic/content suitable to the students? Is the sequencing of the lesson logical? This quote reflects

that teachers need to ask several questions before the commencement of the actual class with the

textbook and this happens when they leaf through the first page of the textbook. This is what

teachers need to do as part of their job in the teaching learning scenario.

It is true that text books play a very important role in many language class rooms, but they are not

the only materials to help language learning as scholars pointed out. As Penny Ur (1992:136)

states, The term course book is used here to mean a text book of which the teacher and,

usually, each student has a copy, and which is in principle to be followed systematically as the

basis for a language course. This tells us that both teachers and students have got a copy of the

textbook so that they feel secured because they have carefully structured textbooks to help their

learning and teaching. In some places course books are taken for granted. In others, they may not

be used to the full. Spratt (2005:115) stresses, The teacher works according to a syllabus, or


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according to his or her own programme, using text books and supplementary materials as the need

arises. This shows that there are two alternatives that teachers need to use in the course of their

teaching. First, they can exploit textbooks to the maximum. Second, they can also complement

their textbooks accordingly. Thus, teachers can use materials that best suit their students needs,

interests and levels flexibly. Penny Ur (1992:136) stresses, There is a situation where a course

book is used selectively, not necessarily in sequence, and is extensively supplemented by other

materials. This explains the fact that teachers can use activities in the textbook selectively but not

in sequence. They can skip or modify some activities. In addition to this, teachers can supplement

the course book whenever necessary. It is vitally important to use a course book that is produced

by experts consisting of contents in a language syllabus. However, text books might have some

defects, and teachers are there to evaluate their students interest in relation to the activities and

contents in the textbook. Teachers need to develop confidence in evaluating tasks and activities in

the text book in relation to their students age, language competence, culture, and level of

difficulty of the tasks. Cunnings worth (1995:25) suggests, While the decision to use and

evaluate a particular text book is sometimes left up to the individual teachers they bring other

materials to supplement the course book. This states that evaluating the textbook and making

appropriate decision is left up to teachers who use textbook in the classroom. But there is a huge

question here. How confident are teachers to evaluate, adapt and supplement the textbook? What

do language teachers do when they find some topics or activities really unfit to their students

level, culture, background, or age level? Here comes a challenge: they can skip it, or they go on

teaching? This study will answer these questions.

Most course books contain a number of activities in the four skills. This makes it difficult to judge

how adequately each particular skill is dealt with, the balance between them, whether the skills

activities are strategy-building, and, finally, how they are integrated. It can also be relevant to see

how far different course books make use of varied and authentic listening texts (Allwright: 198,p.23).

While teachers develop the idea of creativity, they may not entirely be dependent on the course

books and they may supplement the course book with other tasks from other materials. Authentic

materials can provide resources for EFL teachers and offer them the opportunity to expose learners

to materials produced for real life and for out- of- class room context. If teachers use authentic and

other materials sensibly, they provide learners with secure bridges into the real world of English.


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Sheldon (1988:28) stresses, No textbook or set of materials is likely to be perfect This reflects

the fact that textbooks are not perfect teaching materials. It also emphasizes that no single material

would be enough for effective language leaning. There are two different thoughts regarding

textbooks. Larsen-Freeman (1983:45) states, Using course books has its own share of benefits

and advantages such as having a well-organized content with a consistency in the topics and

genres for the four skills. This quotation explains that teachers are at an advantage when they use

a course book as it is well organized content. Teachers who adopt a course book may find it easier

to teach since most of the preparations and activities are already done by the writer(s). Using

course books would be a great help for inexperienced teachers as it gives them a direction where

to go and what to do. However, nothing in the world is perfect and teachers need to somehow

solve the issues and problems that may come with course books.

On the other hand, Allwright (1990:78) suggests that text books are too inflexible, and generally

reflect the pedagogic, psychological, and linguistic preferences and biases of their authors. More

recent authors have criticized text books for their inherent social and cultural biases. Researchers

such as Smith (1996) have demonstrated that many EFL text books still contain rampant examples

of gender and cultural biases, sexism, and stereotyping. Some proponents of authentic classroom

language models (Graves, 2000:12) have argued that the problems with many text books are not

necessarily the fact that they are culturally or socially biased but that they are actually too

contrived and artificial in their presentation of the target language.

If teachers need to go beyond the course book, what materials are available? Of course, there are a

lot of supplementary materials around them. Spratt (2005:115) states, Supplementary materials

are books and other materials we can use in addition to the course book. This explains that

supplementary materials are other published materials that are available around us. Teachers are

supposed to exploit these materials to the maximum for a better teaching/learning.

There are several reasons why we want to use supplementary materials and activities. Spratt

(2005:114) configured it this way:

To replace unsuitable material in the textbook To fill gaps in the course book. To provide suitable material for learners particular needs and interests. To give learners extra language or skills practice.


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To add variety to our teaching.These are some of the situations that teachers need to use supplementary materials in the

classroom. It is true that supplementary materials are pretty good for variety and they can easilycatch the attention of students. Spratt (2005:115) stresses, Supplementary materials and activities

can provide variety in lessons and useful extra practice, but it is important to make sure that they

fit into the learners programme, are suitable for the class and match the aims for particular

lessons. This quote reflects the fact that supplementary materials are vitally important in

enhancing language learning but they should fit into the educational programme and suitable to the

needs, levels, and interests of the students. Otherwise they may cause some failures in the entire

educational aim.

In order for teachers to be effective, they need to have some level of creativity. Supplementary

materials like authentic materials need teachers to be creative because they should a judicious

blend between the textbook and other materials. Prodromou (1992:22) again asserts,a creative

teacher is the one who is able to use new and unusual approaches, methods and materials to reach

the aims and motivate learners. As this scholar points out, creativity, in the sense of adaptability,

is a key element to achieve the desired goal in the teaching-learning scenario. Moreover, adaptable

teachers may use strange approaches to make their teaching effective.

In general, this study embraces teachers attitudes and practices on adapting and supplementing a

text book in language learning, how aware and confident are teachers to adapt and supplement the

text book with authentic materials, what challenges they confront when adapting and

supplementing it, when and how to supplement. It also assesses to what extent teachers devote

time to select and grade supplementary materials to the level and interest of their students. And

what guide lines teachers use when selecting, grading, and producing their own materials for

classroom purpose.

1.2Statement of the problem

Ever since the beginning of modern education in Ethiopia, English language has been included in

the syllabus, as far as the researchers knowledge and experience is concerned. Textbooks have

been produced by experts for all grade levels so that teachers were/are expected to stick to them.


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According to Fuller (1994:134) Textbooks are produced by experts in the Ministry of education

to adhere to curriculum guidelines, but in reality, it may not fulfill the objectives they set

themselves. This states that though textbooks are produced by experts using curriculum

guidelines and approved by Ministry of Education, learning objectives may not be met to the full.

This indicates that sometimes textbooks may fail to meet the objectives set by experts and

learners varied needs may cause this to happen.This is implies that producing a textbook may not

be a guarantee to achieve the objectives.

As Graves (2000:13) states, The contents in the textbook may go out of date and the sequence is

lockstep This implies that the textbooks may incorporate contents that are outdated and sequence

is rigid. In such cases, teachers should exercise their professional judgment. If such things are

there, what do teachers do? Adapt, supplement or what? This study answered it the conclusion

part.

Again Fuller (1994:135) reflects,the needs of learners go beyond the need for achievement and

approval, which are central in the minds of most textbook writers. This articulates the fact that

though textbook writers try to set achievable objectives in the teaching learning scenarios,

students needs may go beyond the textbook objectives (i.e. achievement and approval) and

textbook writers imaginations. If this really happens, teachers need to bring other materials to

quench the needs of their students and to fill the gaps in the textbook or adapt the activities in the

textbook in a way that best fits the students needs.

Most students are not able to acquire the target language at the required level and so are the

students in the target population. Semere, K (1996) states,teachers traditional methods, rigid

textbooks, and lack of exposure to practice it outside the classroom are some of the factors that

affect students slow performance in English language in the real world. This quote reflects the

idea that students sluggish performance in the target language is caused by various factors of

which one is the textbook. Although a textbook plays a pivotal role in language learning, it

doesnt always play the same role. A textbook sometimes would affect learning in a way that

sequences are lockstep and contents may not be up to date. Semere (1996) didnt see teachers

practices and attitudes on adapting and supplementing a textbook to help their students learn

language better. As a result, the researcher of this study wanted to see the attitudes and practices

of teachers on using other materials than the textbook to add variety into their lessons and to

maximize language learning at large. Sheldon (1988:29) states, No textbook or set of materials is


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likely to be perfect textbook This states that textbooks are not perfect components in the

teaching learning scenario. If this is the case, can teachers say that they are successful by heavily

relying on the textbook?

Students in the target population of this study are soldiers who are supposed to communicate in

English with peacekeepers from different parts of the world during their peacekeeping mission in

any war-torn country in Africa. Therefore, the importance of English language is paramount for

interoperability. Textbooks are imperfect components in the teaching learning scenario.

Conversely, adapting and supplementing a textbook has tremendous share of benefits for effective

language learning to take place. Do teachers in the target population really do this to help their

students? Or they simply stick to one material (i.e. the textbook) all the time?

To make a textbook fit to the students needs and levels, teachers may adapt it in any way or

supplement it with other authentic materials. But do teachers do this in the target population?

Adaptation and supplementation are important activities that teachers are expected to do in the

course of their teaching. As McDonough (1992:113) states, The good teacher is constantly

adapting and supplementing a textbook. This scholar explains that effective and good teachers

spend much of their time adapting a textbook, and supplementing it with other materials because

these activities do have tremendous benefits. Adapting is a very good practice to be effective in

teaching. If adapting or supplementing enhances language learning, why teachers stick to the

textbook all the time? As Andy (2002:10) points out, when teachers use variety of materials

(i.e. authentic) for the classroom purpose, learning a language would be enhanced a great deal.

This quote stresses on the importance of other materials than the textbook to enhance maximum

language learning.

There are varieties of ways that teachers need to go beyond the textbook. As scholars pointed out,

teachers use supplementary materials for various reasons. As Spratt (2005:114) stated

supplementary materials can be used

to add variety in to their lesson to replace unsuitable material in the textbook

Before 2003, translators were travelling with peacekeepers to help them communicate with people

from other English-speaking countries. But these days, since 2003 an attempt has been made to

make all peacekeepers self-reliant for their own communication in English to accomplish their


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missions. As a result, PEP (peacekeeping English Project was set up by the Ethiopian ministry of

national defence in close collaboration with the British Council Ethiopia to help these

peacekeepers improve their language for communication. In spite of this, the UN feedback about

Ethiopian peacekeepers language competency showed that Ethiopian peacekeepers language

competency is regarded low. Since then the researcher has kept asking why? And this again

instigated him to conduct a research on teachers attitudes and practices on adapting and

supplementing a textbook, because this practice is able to add variety into the lessons and

language learning can be enhanced a great deal.

The researcher strongly believes that the practice of adapting and supplementing a textbook is

vitally important to maximize language learning in any situation. He tried to adapt and supplement

the course book in the course of his teaching, and was able to see some enthusiasms on his

students faces. If students feel happy, how wrong is it to do this action as part of the actual

teaching? The researcher keeps adapting and supplementing the textbook since then but he is

unsure if other teachers are really conscious about it. The researchers experience is a big witness

for this pressing problem.

1.3Objectives of the study

1.3.1General Objective:

The general objective of this study is:

a) To find out teachers attitudes and practices on adapting and supplementing a course bookin language teaching.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives:

The specific objectives of this study are:

a) To find out teachers attitudes towards the textbook.b) To investigate teachers practices on supplementing the textbook.c) To probe teachers practices on adapting a textbook.


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1.4 Research Questions

a) What is teachers attitude towards textbooks?

b) What attitudes do teachers have on adapting and supplementing a textbook?

c) What do teachers do if a topic in the textbook is culturally inappropriate or an activity is

redundant?

d) Do teachers bring authentic materials into the classroom to complement their teaching?

e) What challenges do teachers face while adapting and supplementing a textbook?

1.5Significance of the study

The researcher hopes that the findings of this study will benefit various stakeholders like, teachers,

students, other potential researchers, schools and institutions and the community at large. First of

all, students can maximize their learning with a wide range of topics and variety of materials so

that most of their needs may be met. Secondly, teachers can get some insights about how to adapt

and supplement a course book-especially when their students get bored of the activities in the

course book. Third, other potential researchers can grab some ideas from this research finding for

further study. As the researcher believes, since this topic is new, students can have some insights

on how to maximize their learning, where as teachers can take a big lesson out of the findings of

this research finding to be adaptable and productive. Last but not least, potential researchers can

use the findings of this study for further research.

1.6 Scope of the study

Since the main aim of this study is to probe teachers consciousness on teaching beyond a course

book in enhancing language learning, it revolves around teachers in two centres of peacekeeping

English project in Ethiopian defence. This project aims to help Ethiopian peacekeepers to acquire

basic level of communication in English during their stay abroad in peacekeeping missions. This

study will be very much limited to teachers who teach there. The researcher guesses that students

benefit a lot out of supplementation in a number of ways as most of these activities need the

teachers effort and consciousness; however, students are not incorporated in the study.


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1.7 Limitations of the study

The researcher guesses that the study may be hampered by the following factors. First, time would

affect the researcher as he spends shorter time with some subjects in Debrezeit, but in addiscentre

time would not be a constraint as the researcher works with the subjects. Second, since there are

five centres across the country, findings may not be perfectly representative. Last but not least, the

sky-rocketing cost of stationary materials may possibly affect the research to some extent. In spite

of all these potential problems, the researcher plans to show his maximum commitment to come

up with genuine findings.


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CHAPTER TWO

2. Literature Review

2.1General Overview of Textbooks

Language instruction has five important components students, teachers, materials, teaching

methods and evaluation. Allwright(1990:79) argues, Materials should teach students and they are

sources for ideas and activities for instruction/learning, and they should give teachers rationales

for what they do. This quote states that textbooks provide ideas for both teachers and students.

For teachers, textbooks play a great role in giving them the direction where to go and what to do.

Allwright (1990:79) states, Much of the language teaching throughout the world today couldnt

take place without extensive use of published materials. This quotation clearly articulates the

importance of materials (textbooks) in order for language teaching to happen. It also emphasizes

the fact that any published material is an asset to enhance language learning across the globe.

Tomlinson (1998:92) stresses, The textbook is not something we read from cover to cover like

we do with a holy book. This reflects on the point that flexibility is the most important thing in

using the textbook. Teachers shouldnt teach the textbook from cover to cover as an obligation.

This emphasizes on the fact that teachers use textbooks flexibly and selectively. Followers of a

holy book cant deviate from the principles and commandments but teachers can sometimes

deviate from the sequence in their textbooks as there is no hard and fast rule to use the textbook all

the time.

Hutchinson and Torres (1994:112) stress, Textbooks are a convenient way of providing structure

and direction to a learning program. This explains the idea that textbooks provide a guide and a

route map for both teachers and students what to do, where to go and how to do it.

It is true that in many cases teachers and students heavily rely on textbooks, methods, and

procedures of learning. Students learn what is presented in the textbook, and the way the textbook

presents is the way the students learn it. Penny Ur (1992:) stresses, the educational philosophy of

the textbook will influence the class and the learning processes. This reflects that in many

learning situations, materials (textbooks) are at the centre of instruction and one of the most

important influences on what goes on in the classroom. Materials can influence language learning

either in the positive or negative way.


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Sheldon (1988:28) states, No textbook or set of materials is likely to be perfect and even though

it is clear that course book assessment is a subjective and a rule-of-thumb activity, and that no neat

formula or grid. This scholar tells us that though course books are important elements in the

language classroom, they are not a perfect element in language learning environment. It also states

that textbooks are imperfect and assessment is very personal and a rule-of thumb activity.

According to Grant (1987:19) Millions of textbooks are produced across the globe to assist the

language learning process worldwide. This explains that language learning is heavily assisted by

textbooks which are produced by various publishers across the globe. In Ethiopia, textbooks are

produced and distributed by the ministry of Education. But there are commercially available

language books so that teachers can create a judicious blend between textbooks and other

materials for effective language teaching. As Richards, J (1998:67) states, A diversity of

commercial textbooks is available to support practically every kind of language program, from

general international courses to country specific textbooks. This shows that language program is

assisted by various kinds of text books (i.e. commercial textbooks) without which language

learning cant be as effective as its supposed to be. Thus materials play a great role in order for

language learning to take place. Today there are fewer global course books and an increasing

demand for country- specific textbooks as most countries produce their own textbooks. The case

in our country is a good example to strengthen this idea. The design and production values of

textbooks have also changed significantly. Contemporary textbooks are visually appealing, with

full-color art and sophisticated magazine-like design, printed on high quality paper and supported

by an assortment of supplementary resources, such as workbooks, cassettes, CDs, and videos

(Richards, 1998). Todays textbooks are much more culturally sensitive than their predecessors.

This may not be true in every circumstance as there is a difference in textbook writers

professional experience and their understanding of culture may not be profound. As a result, there

is no perfect textbook in the world. Other scholars also reflect their own view about textbooks.

Such global course books aim to cater to the needs and wants of all learners at a specified level,

but frequently they end up catering to the needs and wants of nobody (Tomlinson, B: 1998). This

reflects the idea that global textbooks do not provide the needs and interests of students. But the

researcher cant stand with this point due to the fact that global textbooks are vitally important to

complement the country-specific textbooks but it would be ridiculous to say that they never cater

the needs of language learners.


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2.2 What aspects of materials should we examine?

There are several aspects of materials that teachers should examine in the textbook. For instance,

content, tasks and activities, methods and approaches as well. These are all central facets that

teachers need to work on for the betterment of their teaching.

Richards (1998:67) states,the content of language textbook is a useful activity in courses on

curriculum design, methodology, and materials development. A wide variety of content issues can

be examined, including cultural content, linguistic content, and pedagogical content of textbooks.

These things should be done meticulously by teachers while textbooks are being used. This, of

course, needs teachers to be committed, proficient, and have cultural knowledge. More

importantly, teachers should work with contents as they are crucial aspects of the textbook. If

teachers find the textbook unfit to respect the culture of the community it is being used, teachers

can make some adjustments and can produce their own materials for classroom use/adapt it.It

seems true that textbooks need some modification accordingly. And teachers certainly need help in

making intelligent use of the textbook in the actual classroom with their students. Students should

also be aware of the fact that textbooks serve as a springboard for further explanation into another

source of language learning and textbooks are not the only sources.

2.3 Connecting the Course Book to Students Lives

It is generally true that textbooks should meet the needs and interests of students and it should also

be connected to students lives.

As scholars pointed out, there are three ways that teachers can connect the textbooks to students

lives. These include, humanizing, personalizing and localizing.

Without making connections between the course book and their own lives, language learners will

fail to make full use of the learning opportunities offered by the book. Ideally, course books help

learners make these connections, but if they do not, then teachers will need to do it for them. This

is not as difficult as teachers may think, provided that they treat the learners with respect as

intelligent human beings and add to the course book opportunities for the learners to think and to

feel for themselves.

For a course book to help a learner to acquire a language, it needs to be perceived as relevant to

the learners needs and wants and to provide new learning experiences that connect with the

learners previous experiences (Larsen-Freeman: 1983,p.46). Ideally, the course book should be


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designed to facilitate localization and personalization by teachers and learners, but unfortunately

this is rarely the case, and it is left to the teacher to adapt and supplement the course book in ways

that connect with their learners previous experiences. In order to achieve this, the teacher needs to

develop ability in humanizing, localizing, and personalizing the course book.

2.3.1 Humanizing and personalizing the Course Book

This clearly articulates the importance of treating learners as intelligent human beings in lieu of

considering them as subsidiary figures. It is very logical to guess that global textbooks do not

perfectly cater the needs and interests of students and there will also be very little excitement to

stimulate the emotions of learners. Many global course books present a sanitized world which is

bland and dull and in which there is very little excitement to stimulate the emotions of the learner"

(Tomlinson, 1998:93). In addition, many of the activities that learners are asked to do in global

course books involve little motivation to students and they promote meaningless practice, and very

few stimulate the learners to think and feel as human beings. Dullness would be one of the

headaches of most course books across the globe. To deal with this problem adaptation and

supplementation are quite crucial activities.

Tomlinson (1998:92) states, If the teacher follows the course book as a script rather than using itas a resource (as many teachers do), then the learner is often reduced from an intelligent,

individual human being to a mindless language learner This shows that when teachers use the

textbook as script, students are considered as people without views, attitudes, and emotions and

whose brain is dedicated to low-level linguistic decoding and encoding.

The most dramatic way to humanize the course book is to replace it altogether with an activity that

is more likely to engage the learners both affectively and cognitively (Tomlinson 2003:93). This

happens when the learners threw away their course books and replace them with comics,

magazines, and books of their own choice. But the researcher doesnt agree with this idea due to

the fact that the textbook should not be replaced by another materials altogether. It is not a good

idea as textbooks are produced to help both learners and teachers what to do and where to go. It is

possible to adapt the activities or supplement it with other materials.

A less dramatic way of humanizing the course book is to reduce the number of lessons dominated

by it and to replace it by some authentic materials with extensive real reading, drama, storytelling,


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video viewing, and projects that involve the learners in using English to do things they want to do

outside the classroom.

Unfortunately, most teachers do not have the freedom to replace the course book and are expected

to make use of it in every lesson. What they need to do is to reduce the non-humanistic elements

of the course book and to expand and add to those sections that invite the learners to think, feel,

and do in order to learn (Tomlinson: 2003).

The learners were exposed to language in meaningful use, experience a lot of recycling of

language without being aware of it, had many learning opportunities, and, above all, were

involved as human beings rather than just as language learners. Students should also be

encouraged to feel that their idea and experience is very important for language learning. They

should also be aware that textbooks and teachers are not the only sources of language learning.

Possibly the most effective thing teachers can do is to spend the first five or ten minutes of each

lesson exposing learners to language in meaningful use by reading a poem, telling a story,

recounting an anecdote, telling a joke, setting riddles, reading a clipping from a newspaper, or

acting a scene from a play. This is of crucial importance in stimulating students and in arousing

their interest. How far teachers in our context do this? This is the question left hanging.

McDonough (1992:114) explains, We take personalizing here to refer to increasing the relevance

content in relation to learners interests and needs. This states the concept of personalizing is all

about making contents in the textbook to meet the needs and interests of students by adapting

activities or supplementing it with more authentic materials so that personalizing will happen

afterwards. If teachers try to personalize the activities in the textbook, students may feel that they

are the integral parts of the lesson. This perfectly happens through personalizing and humanizing.

Unless learners are personally engaged in the learning process, they cannot achieve success. Only

individual learners can really personalize the course book by relating it to what is already in their

minds (Maley: 2003, p.23).

2.3.2 Localizing the Course Book

A global course book can make sure that it locates its units in as many different locations around

the world as possible, but unfortunately it cannot do what some local course books do and start


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each unit in settings familiar to the learners (Tomlinson, 2003:102). For example, focus on such

global issues as tourist pollution, drugs, water supply, peace and war, and money versus morals,

but they do so by focusing on the learners own country first. This gives idea an about the issue

under discussion, otherwise it may fail.

McDonough (1992:115) states, Localizing takes in to account the international geography of

English language teaching. The above quote reflects the fact that a textbooks that work in some

areas may not possibly work in another area for obvious reasons. For instance, the contexts in

which its used, the culture of the students, the names of places and people etc. these are all

important facts that are to be considered. Thus in cases of such kind, its up to the teacher to

exercise his professional judgment to make it suitable to the context that s/he teaches.

Although course books cannot do this, teachers can do it for their learners. They can think of ways

in which a readiness activity can stimulate locally focused mental activity that could make relevant

a text set in a distant country (Tomlinson: 2003, p.113).

2.4 Course books and teacher training

Grant (1987:20) states, New teachers always feel an obligation to complete all tasks in the

textbook. This explains the point that novice teachers use the maximum of their potential to

cover everything in the textbook and they feel that this is an obligation. For these groups of

teachers, success rests on completing all tasks in the textbook. But as for the researcher, success

should not be perceived as covering everything in the textbook. This kind of teachers perception

can be altered through continuous professional development training sessions.

According to Richards, J(1998:68) In order for textbooks to be able to serve as sources for

creating teaching, teacher education programs need to provide participants with skills inevaluating, supplementing and adapting textbooks and other commercial materials. This quote

still reflects the roles that teacher training centres play to produce competent teachers who can go

beyond a textbook when it lacks variety and suffers from redundancy and these institutes prepare

teachers for appropriate ways of using textbooks. Hence, teacher training institutes are supposed to

consider the fact that the nature of textbooks and their role in teaching through the processes of

analyzing what textbooks set out to do how they do it, developing criteria for evaluating

textbooks, giving experience in adapting textbooks, and monitoring the use of materials in


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teaching. These are quite crucial tips that teachers need to get trained during their stay in the

teacher training institutes. As the above scholar points out, such training sessions play a pivotal

role on teachers professional development and effectiveness in their teaching.

Richards,(1998:68) states, If teachers are required to modify their course book, they would need

additional training in the preparation of other materials. This scholar explains that some

professional development training sessions would help teachers tremendously to take an

appropriate action on the textbook either to modify or supplement. Grant (1987:21) states,

teaching without a textbook is a superb experience This explains the point that if teachers teach in

situations where textbooks are absent, they can prepare their own materials in the time which their

students get bored with the textbook.

2.4.1Textbooks: Help or Hindrance in teaching?

The most commonly found element in second language and foreign language classrooms around

the world are teachers, learners, and textbooks. As Richards (1998:67) stresses, while the roles of

teachers, teaching, and learners have been the focus of a vast body of discussion and research over

the years, much less attention has been given to textbooks. This shows that no attention was

given to textbooks as teachers and students were the focus of discussion. These are all important

elements of the language teaching-learning process. Yet in many schools and language programs

the textbooks used in classrooms are the curriculum. Richards (1998:67) explains, if one wants to

determine the objectives of a language program, the kind of syllabus being used, the skills being

taught, the content the students will study, and the assumptions about teaching and learning that

the course embodies, it is often necessary to look no further than the textbooks used in the

program itself. Textbooks and other commercial materials in many situations represent the

hidden curriculum of many language courses. In some situations, textbooks are really a hindrance

for some teachers as some research findings show. Textbooks affect adaptable teaching and

teachers may not go beyond the textbooks. However, some teachers seem to go beyond the

textbook to help their students learning. For these teachers textbooks help them what to do, where

to go and how to get there. Therefore, textbooks hinder and help teachers.

As Maley (2003:24) cited from Prabhu (1987),He has pointed out that published materials

(textbooks) are the constraining effects of materials on the freedom of action of teachers. This

tells us that textbooks may affect teachers to take action on the course book. contents, order of


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contents and procedures are predeterminedThis hampers the teacher to go beyond the textbook.

Clearly, what happens in the classroom using textbooks is that there is a complex trade-off

between the three major elements thats the textbooks, teachers, and students.

Materials (textbooks)

Teachers learners

Source: (cunnings worth: 1995, p.114)

This indicates that these three components in language learning/teaching scenario are interwoven.

Both teachers and students have got textbooks. Though textbooks are there at the centre of the

learning-teaching process, teachers shouldnt heavily rely on the textbook and so do the students.

In some cases there may be a relatively close fit between the three. This may occur when the

materials have been designed for a relatively specific learning group (Maley, A: 2003).

This study embraces some practices that teachers do in case these three elements do not agree each

other. What do teachers do when they find materials unfit to students levels, needs and interests?

2.5 Teachers attitudes towards a course book

Scholars use metaphors when they compare one thing with another. Metaphors help us to express

peoples feelings about the thing they are describing. Here are some metaphors teachers have used

to describe course books. What does it tell us about how teachers feel about their course book?

Andy (2002:13) pointed it out this way:

A holy book that I must follow. A stick for a blind man An ocean which never dries up. A lifesaving jacket to a drowning man.

These metaphors show quite a traditional attitude to how course books are used. Traditionally,

teachers felt it was very much the course book which was in charge: the course book that directed


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the content of each and every lesson, what topics were included in the lesson and how learners

were organized during the lesson. The teachers job was to teach the course book- to interpret the

holy book. The teacher didnt deviate from the path that was laid down by the course book- and

just a blind man without his stick couldnt function without it.

Here are also some more positive metaphors teachers have chosen to describe their relationship

with their course book and metaphors which will help us plan throughout the activities that

follow

The course book as one tool amongst many in one situation we might want to choose onetype of tool

The course book as guide: the guide shows the way but it is the traveler who chooseswhere to go.

The course book as safety net: it is the teacher who performs the acrobatics but the coursebook is there as a safety net in case of problems.

The course bookas a rope: it is the teacher who is climbing the mountain but course bookscan help to make the journey easier and safer.

These metaphors are rated as positive. If teachers use one or more of these metaphors, their

attitude towards the textbook is good. It implies that these groups of teachers can go beyond

textbooks to add variety in to their teaching as it gives them the direction.

McGrath (2002:55) surveyed the teachers views for course books.

Some examples of teachers metaphors are the following: this is the reflection of McGraths study

on the teachers attitudes towards English textbooks. He configured it this way:

a course book is a map (and as such can be deceptive in its apparent simplicity of directionand explanation);

a textbook is a thick wood, rich, you learn a lot, you see a lot [but] you get entangled, youget lost.

a textbook is like a pair of shoes. It takes time to choose one that you feel comfortable towear for a long time. A bad pair will kill you, give you blisters. A good one will give you

confidence to run, to jump, and to fly high.


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2.6 Common phobias of teachers to supplement a course book

As a number of scholars pointed out, adapting and supplementing a course book is enormously

advantageous. However, many teachers seem to fail to do that apparently for the following

reasons. Andy (2002:14) states:

What are the common phobias for using supplementary materials in class?

I like the idea of using extra materials in class but I dont have time to do so in my class. The important issue is to cover the course book which includes what the learners need.

Why should I bother with extras?

I want to use supplementary materials in my lesson but the school owner disagrees.

It is fun but time consuming to find and prepare materials. Students- and their parents do not consider them as a serious learning material.

These are some of the phobias that teachers on the ground reflected based on their experiences. It

would be absolutely impractical to expect a teacher who says why should I bother with extras?

to go beyond the textbook though supplementing and adapting is crucial.

According to Littlejohn (1998:15), there are various factors that affect teacher not to go beyond

the textbook. He reviewed it this way:

Lack of preparation time. The demands from examination( i.e. .achievement type) Excessive institutional power. Lack of professional development training.

2.7 The concept of adaptation

Adaptation of a text or course book is a process of changing a text from being unproductive,

boring and repetitive to more interesting, productive and appropriate to the level of students

(Prabhu: 1987). This tells us that adaptation is an important activity by teachers to make it

productive and interesting. The concept of adaptation is, therefore, very crucial to make fit to the

interest and level of the students. Teachers may not necessarily need other materials than a course

book. It is all about re-ordering, modifying etc.


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McDonough (1992:113) states, Adaptation, then, is a process of subsequent to, and dependent on,

adoption. This explains that first teachers need to adopt the textbook and evaluate the nature of

contents and activities and to what extent the activities arouse students motivation and meet the

needs and levels of students.

McDonough (1992:114) explains, It is more realistic to assume that, however careful the design

of the materials and evaluation process, some changes will have to be made at some level in most

teaching contexts.This quotation best explains the importance of adaptation no matter how a

textbook is carefully designed and evaluated. There is no perfect textbook in this imperfect world;

therefore, the concept of adaptation is vitally important to make a textbook interesting and

productive.

It is up to the teacher to adapt and supplement the activities in the book or simply stick to the

activities as presented in the course book as a holy book. Effectiveness in teaching language is

very much tied with the extent to which the teachers supplement and adapt the course book. The

following are some of the strategies to make the course book bearable, or more effective.

Adaptation and supplementation are different concepts used by scholars differently. The notion of

supplementation may be about using any resources around us to complement contents in the

textbook. But adaptation is all about dealing with tasks in any material. In almost every subject

area, in nearly every grade level, students are expected to use a textbook as a resource. Many,

however, are unable to access the content in their textbook due to struggles with reading and

related skills such as information processing. Therefore, teachers in inclusive classrooms must

adapt textbooks so that students with different reading and comprehension levels can learn

classroom content. Adapting textbooks may involve making changes to the text itself,

supplementing the text, or giving students strategies to learn the material in some other way.

McDonough (1992:83) also stresses, Effective adaptation is a matter of achieving congruence.

The good teacher isconstantly striving for congruence among several related variables:

Teaching materials, methodology, course objectives, the teachers own personality and teaching

style. This scholar explains variety of components ranging from methodology to teachers own

personality. He mentioned the word congruence to emphasis the fact that in order for adaptation

to be productive and fit well in with the objective, it should be done appropriately and

meticulously.


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The ability to adapt common classroom materials such as main textbooks and commercial

textbooks is an essential for teaching in a diverse, inclusive classroom. For some students, these

adaptations are the difference between mere inclusion in a learning experience and true and

meaningful participation in a learning experience. In addition, the adaptations created for some

often cause deeper and more meaningful learning for many.

2.7.1 Reasons for Adapting and supplementing

As scholars did point out so far, teachers may adapt materials for various reasons in certain

teaching situations. McDonough (1992:112) explains,one teachers priorities may well differ

considerably from those of another. It is certainly true that there are some general trends common

to a large number of teaching contexts. The priorities of tasks in the textbook vary considerably

from teacher to teacher and situation to situation and this entails slight modification. McDonough

(1992:113) again states, most obviously there appears to be a widespread perception that

materials should aim to be in some sense communicative and authentic. This stresses the fact

that communication and authenticity are the core points in the textbook. The primary objective of

any teaching material is to promote communication and this partly happens through the

involvement of authentic materials. If there is no touch of authenticity in the textbook, teachers

need to adapt or supplement the course book.

According to Spratt (2005:114)there are various reasons why we might want to use

supplementary materials and activities. This clarifies the reasons why teachers need to use other

materials than the course book. According to Spratt (2005), some of the main reasons are as

follows.

To replace unsuitable material in the textbook To fill gaps in the course book. To provide suitable material for learners particular needs and interests. To give learners extra language or skills practice. To add variety to our teaching.

Therefore, teachers can use supplementary materials when one or more of the above points are

missing because these materials can add variety into their teaching. As scholars point out, there is

no perfect single teaching material, so using supplementary materials creatively is one of the

teachers vital skills.


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A frame work of adaptation

Congruence

External Internal criteria (evaluation)

Criteria

Need to

Localize personalize humanize

Techniques

Adding deleting modifying simplifying re-ordering

Content areas

texts skills class management language practice

Source: (McDonough, 1992:115)

This explains thatadaptation aims to achieve congruence and this becomes apparent through

evaluation of textbooks in use. Having evaluated the textbook, teachers need to humanize,

personalize and localize to make it more effective. Again, in order for adaptation to take place,

teachers should do one of the techniques. What do teachers adapt? They may adapt the content of

the textbook like, reading texts, skills and the practice stage.Adaptation may not be enough to

create effective language learning and teachers may go beyond adaptation and that is

supplementing the textbook with other materials out of the textbook.


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2.8 Evaluating, adapting and supplementing Textbooks

2.8.1Evaluating textbooks

The researcher wants to put a clear demarcation between textbook evaluation by teachers on the

ground and by experts at the top level. McDonough (1992:82) stresses, An important perspective

of evaluationis to see it as management issue whereby educational decision-makers formulate

policy and work out for evaluating: In this sense, teachers do not have direct involvement if they

are not part of the team. This reflects the fact that evaluation of materials can be carried out in

different times by experts with objective checklists and by teachers discussing with their students.

When teachers evaluate a textbook in use, they may not necessarily stick to objective criteria

pointed out by scholars during evaluation of a textbook, but knowledge of these criteria is very

important.

The core of systematic textbook evaluation is to examine how well a given textbook matches the

needs of a language programme and how effectively and efficiently it can realize the objectives of

the programme. Therefore needs analysis has to be done prior to textbook evaluation. Due to space

limitation, in this unit, we will focus on general features of good textbooks and how to evaluate

textbooks based on these features.

To further evaluate the chosen textbooks, Graves (2000:13) suggests two facets to evaluate a

textbook. The first is the textbook itself: getting inside it to understand how it is constructed and

why it is developed that way. Getting inside the textbook is important to know whatthe teacher is

adapting and supplementing. The second is everything other than the textbook: the context, the

students, and the teacher. The second facet is even more important because the teacher generally

use the lenses of their experience and context to evaluate it. At this point, the second facet helps

the teacher to be clear about whathe/she is adapting it to.

2.8.1.1 Pedagogical factors to evaluation

According to Maley (2003:24) Teachers need to ask the following questions about the book

before they adapt or supplement it and this can be done by individual teachers and it doesnt need

a rigorous evaluation of textbooks by relying on checklists. This states the point that teachers can

evaluate their course books in the course of their teaching and they may adapt or supplement


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afterwards. However, they take these actions only if the textbook fails to answer the following

questions. Maley(2003:13) configured it this way:

Does the rational of the book fit that of the local curriculum? How do the different components tie together? Think about exercises, units and books. What language is covered? Does the book give the students adequate practice in the

language they are required to master.

What skills are covered? Does the book give the students adequate practice in the tasksdemanded by the curriculum?

What topics are covered? Does the book cover topics included in the curriculum? Does thebook avoid topics which are culturally unacceptable?

How authentic is the material? Does the material give students realistic exposure to thelanguage?

2.8.2 Adapting textbooks

Despite the great effort that textbook writers make to meet the needs of the intended users,

textbooks are subject to adaptation when they are actually used in the classroom. After all, most

commercial textbooks are not written for any particular class. Maley (1998) suggested the

following options to adapt materials:

Omission: the teacher leaves out things deemed inappropriate, offensive, unproductive, etc., for

the particular group.

Addition: where there seems to be inadequate coverage, teachers may decide to add to

textbooks, either in the form of texts or exercise material.

Reduction: where the teacher shortens an activity to give it less weight or emphasis.

Extension: where an activity is lengthened in order to give it an additional dimension. (For

example, a vocabulary activity is extended to draw attention to some syntactic patterning.)

Rewriting/modification: teacher may occasionally decide to rewrite material, especially

exercise material, to make it more appropriate, more communicative, more demanding, more

accessible to their students, etc.


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Replacement: text or exercise material which is considered inadequate, for whatever reason,

may be replaced by more suitable material. This is often culled from other resource materials.

Re-ordering: teachers may decide that the order in which the textbooks are presented is notsuitable for their students. They can then decide to plot a different course through the textbooks

from the one the writer has laid down.

branching: teachers may decide to add options to the existing activity or to suggest alternative

pathways through the activities.

Textbook adaptation can be done at three levels. The first level is macro adaptation, which is

ideally done before the language programme begins. After comparing what is covered in a

textbook and what is required by the syllabus or examination, the teacher may find that certain

areas or even whole units of the book can be omitted, and certain contents need to be

supplemented. Macro adaptation is very important because it helps to avoid waste of time and

energy of the teacher and the students as well. It also helps the teacher to see in advance what he

or she needs to supplement so that he or she can keep an eye on materials that could be used.

The second level of adaptation is adapting a unit. This could be reordering the activities,

combining activities, omitting activities, rewriting or supplementing exercise material, etc. Unit

adaptation helps to make the classroom teaching more smooth and cohesive. It also helps the

teacher to better fulfill the aims of a unit.

The third level is adaptation of specific activities in a unit. Occasionally an activity is regarded as

valuable, but it is not well-designed or it is not feasible in a particular class. If the teacher does not

want to give up the activity, he or she needs to adapt it.

Very often, adaptation involves supplementation, that is, teachers add materials from other

resources to the textbook they are using. It is believed that authentic materials are better than non-

authentic materials for supplementation. So teachers who make a point of collecting authentic

materials find it much easier to adapt textbooks. This is especially true in ELT contexts where

authentic English materials are not always readily to hand.

In this unit we have briefly talked about textbook evaluation, selection and adaptation.

The value of these actions is so obvious that no one would argue against it. However, these actions

can be done only when three conditions are met.


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Firstly, teachers need to have the authority to evaluate, select and adapt textbooks. In many cases,

teachers are simply told to use a certain textbook. In worse circumstances, teachers are told how to

use a book. Some teachers are even criticized for intentionally leaving out activities that they do

not consider appropriate or necessary.

Secondly, teachers have to have the initiative to evaluate, select and adapt textbooks. Very often,

with a heavy workload, teachers simply do not have the time or energy to do anything beyond

lesson planning and marking students homework. Without explicit encouragement from

authorities, many teachers do not make an effort to evaluate and adapt textbooks. In this unit, we

did not specifically discuss textbook creation, though some classroom teachers are already

involved in it. However, most of the suggested ideas about textbook evaluation and adaptation are

also applicable to textbook creation. Needless to repeat, the following scholars (Andy, 2002,

Penny Ur, 1996, Tomlinson, 2001) suggested the same techniques of adapting a course book.

2.8.3 When to supplement?

Teachers may adapt the activities in the textbook whenever they think its appropriate to do. They

may consider the following tips to evaluate the textbook. Andy (2002) configured it this way:

When important topics are missed out, we may need to add a whole lesson whichisnt covered in the textbook.

When we realize that the activities in the book reflect cultural breach or genderdiscrimination.

When the contents in the textbook are old and are not up-to-date, teachers cansupplement it.

When there is a repetition of tasks or activities in the textbook- we may go beyondthe textbook to supplement and to help our learners learn best.

2.9Arguments about using a textbook

Littlejohn (1998) states, The debate has tended to be polarized between those who object to

course books in principle, whether they see them as destroyers of teacher and student creativity

and those who argue that course books provide teachers and learners with a range of

professionally developed materials There are two big thoughts regarding the use of textbooks.

One is in favour of textbooks and the other against the use of textbooks.


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Each of these (the reasons identified by Sheldon, 1988) is an accurate analysis of the strains

teachers feel and using a textbook is one of the most efficient and readily available ways in which

to relieve some of these pressures. They lessen preparation time, provide ready-made activities,

and provide concrete samples of classroom progress through which external stakeholders can be

satisfied.

Graves (2000) lists the following as some of the advantages of using a textbook:

It provides a syllabus for the course It provides security for the students because they have a kind of roadmap of the course It provides a set of visual, activities, readings, etc., and so saves the teacher time in finding

or developing such materials

It provides teachers with a basis for assessing students' learning It may include supporting materials (e.g., teachers guide, cassettes, worksheets, and video) It provides consistency within a program across a given level, if all teachers use the same

textbook. If textbooks follow a sequence, it provides consistency between levels.

Graves (2000) also discusses the disadvantages of using a textbook as well. He identified a list of

eight disadvantages:

The content or examples may not be relevant or appropriate to the group you are teaching. The content may not be at the right level. There may be too much focus on one or more aspects of language and not enough focus

on others, or it may not include everything you want to include.

There may not be the right mix of activities (too much of x, too little of y). The sequence is lockstep. The activities, readings, visuals, etc. may be boring. The material may go out of date. The timetable for completing the textbook or parts of it may be unrealistic.

Proponents of the course book argue that it is the most convenient form of presenting materials, it

helps to achieve consistency and continuation, it gives learners a sense of system, cohesion and

progress and it helps teachers prepare and learners revise. Opponents counter that a course book is

inevitably superficial and reductionist, in its coverage of language points and in its provision of


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language experience, it cannot cater for the diverse needs of its users, it imposes the uniformity of

syllabus and approach, and it removes initiative and power from teachers.

McGrath (2002) states that a textbook is important because it sets the direction, content, and to acertain extent how the lesson is to be taught. Similarly he asserts it is significant to view the

images that teachers have as this reflects their attitudes and beliefs toward textbooks which will

impact on how they use textbooks.

Penny Ur (1992) again categorizes the arguments this way:

A-In favour of using a course book1. Framework

A course book provides a clear framework: teacher and learners know where they are

going and what is coming next, so that there is a sense of structure and progress.

2. syllabusIn many places the course book serves as a syllabus: if it is followed systematically, a

carefully planned and balanced selection of language content will be covered.

3. ready- made texts and tasksThe course book provides texts and learning tasks which are likely to be of appropriate

level for most of the class.

4. EconomyA book is the cheapest way of providing learning material for each learner.

5. ConvenienceA book is a convenient package. It is bound, so that its components stick together and stay

in order.

6. GuidanceFor teachers who are inexperienced or occasionally unsure of their knowledge of thelanguage, the course book can provide useful guidance and support.

7. AutonomyThe learner can use the course book to learn new material, review and monitor progress

with some degree of autonomy. A learner without a course book is teacher- dependent.

B-Against using a course book1. Inadequacy


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This shows that teachers know their students needs more than textbook writers do.As these points

explain, teachers are the best people to know the needs and interests of learners on the ground. The

writer gives a textbook a human attribute and reflects that a textbook never knows the needs of the

students and so do the writers.

2.11 What are supplementary materials?

Supplementary materials are materials which do not exist in the book/s which teachers can use

with their group of learners. Spratt (2005) states, Supplementary materials are books and other

materials we can use in addition to the course book. Any material out of the textbook is called a

supplementary material. They are free standing materials and they are there to make the

teachers life easier and the learners a bit more interested. Supplementary materials may be of

various types. A song, an authentic film, a cut- out from a magazine or newspaper, a poem, a

game, a project etc. may become extra tools in the hands of the trained teacher who wishes to

teach effectively and professionally. As scholars agree with, supplementary materials have

tremendous benefits.

There will be times of course when we feel that the course book is not appropriate at all and we

want to turn to other sources of materials. These materials may be other materials published for

language learning purposes or authentic materials which introduce real world language.

Andy (2002) summarized it as follows. Using supplementary materials can

Provide extra opportunities for learners to use language. Make the lesson more interesting and memorable. Provide new contexts for language. Facilitate learning more effectively. Be adaptable to the learners culture and level. Revise and recycle language in an effective way.2.12 Authentic Materials and Authenticity

Authentic texts have been defined as real-life, not written for pedagogic purposes (Wallace:

1999). They are written for native speakers and contain real language. They are materials that

have been produced to fulfill some social purposes in the language community, in contrast to non-


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authentic texts that are specially designed for language learning purpose. An example of non-

authentic materials is a textbook.According to Breen (1985)The language in non- authentic texts

is artificial and unvaried, concentrating on something that has to be taught and often containing a

series of false- text indicators. This tells us that non-authentic materials lack variety and they are

too contrived.

The sources of authentic materials that can be in the classroom are infinite, but the most common

ones are newspapers, magazines, TV programs, movies, songs, and literature. Authentic materials

should be the kind of materials that students will need and to be able to read when travelling,

studying abroad, or using language in other contexts outside the classroom. Authentic materials

enable learners to interact with the real language and content rather than the form. Learners feel

that they are learning a target language as it is used outside the classroom.

Wallace (1999) gives three main criteria when choosing texts to be in the classroom. These are:

content suitability, exploitability and readability. Content suitability can be considered as the most

important element of the three, as scholars pointed out. Variety and presentation also influence the

choice of authentic materials.

Authentic materials are vitally important to supplement a textbook. They are more of fun,

interesting, motivating, and lively and about real life. Using supplementary materials for

classroom purpose needs a teacher to be committed, wise and methodical.

2.12.1 Important Factors in choosing authentic Reading materials

The concept of authenticity is central to CLT, with the learner being exposed to the same language

as a native language Widdowson (1983). Four types of authenticity within the classroom have

been identified as follows:

Authenticity of texts which we may use as input data for our students.

Authenticity of learners own interpretations of such texts.

Authenticity of tasks conducive to language learning.

Authenticity of the actual social situation of the classroom language.


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One of the main ideas of using authentic materials in the classroom is to expose the learners to as

much real language as possible. Wallace (1999) explains, It has been argued that by taking a text

out of its original context, it loses its authenticity. This quotation stresses on the fact that texts

taken from their original context are contrived materials and the best example for this is textbooks.

2.13 Teacher-made worksheets and task cards

Penny, Ur (1992)explains, Even with an excellent course book and a wide variety of other

materials available, there comes a point at which many teachers find they have to make their own

occasional supplementary worksheets and work cards: because they can find what they need

nowhere else, because they want to provide for the needs of a specific class. It sounds true,

therefore, that good teacher-made materials are arguably the best in terms of personalization and

relevance, and answering the needs of the learners in a way no other materials can.

2.13.1 Guidelines for teacher teacher-made materials

Penny Ur (1992) states them as follows:

Work sheets, work cards and other materials should be:

Be clean: neat, with level lines of neat writing, clear margins and different components. Begin with clear and short instructions. Be clear and attractive to look at. Be clearly do-able by the learners. (Optionally) include a self check facility.

According to the above scholar, work sheet is a page (or two) of tasks, distributed to each student

to do either in class or at home, intended to be written on, and usually taken in by the teacher to be

checked. And work cards are made in sets, each card offering different, fairly short tasks.

2.13.2 Why Do Teachers Design Their Own Materials?

According to Wallace (1999)There are times when teachers may be forced to produce their own

materials to complement the textbook. Some experienced teachers can produce materials to best fit

the needs of their students in case of boredom or repetition in the textbook. It explains that there

are times teachers may be obliged to produce their own material to complement their teaching.


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When they find some of the tasks in the textbook redundant, teachers can prepare their own

material, and experienced teachers can easily do it.

A. Advantages

Discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of teacher-designed materials usually centre

on a comparison with using textbooks. Rather than focusing on textbooks, scholars seem to focus

on teacher-produced materials and consider that the disadvantages of course books can become

advantages for teacher-produced materials (Harmer: 2001). Here are some of the advantages that

scholars pointed out:

a. Contextualization: An important advantage of teacher-produced materials iscontextualization. A key criticism of commercial materials, particularly those produced for

the world-wide EFL market is that they are necessarily generic and not aimed at any

specific group of learners or any particular cultural or educational context. The possible

lack of fit between teaching context and course book has been expressed. (Block: 1991)

states, Our modern course books are full of speech acts and functions based on situations

which most foreign-language students will never encounter. As most scholars do agree

with, for many teachers, designing or adapting their own teaching materials enables them

to take into account their particular learning environment and to overcome the lack of fit

of the course book.

Another aspect of context is the resources available. Some teaching contexts will be rich in

resources such as course books, supplementary texts, readers, computer, audio-visual equipment

and consumables such as paper, pens and so on. Other contexts may be extremely impoverished,

with little more than an old blackboard and a few pieces of chalk. Lack of text books forces

teachers to fall back on their own resources and designing their own teaching materials from

materials around them.

b. Individual needs: A second area in which teacher-designed materials are an advantage isthat of individual needs. Modern teaching methodology increasingly emphasizes the

importance of identifying and teaching to the individual needs of learners. English

language classrooms are divers places not only in terms of where they are situated, but also

in terms of the individual learners within each context. Teacher-designe

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