Evaluating ELT textbooks and materials
Abstract
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 are previous textbook studies and qualitative 'checklists'. The state of the informational assistance available to intending purchasers is also examined. Finally, as set of 'common core' qualitative criteria is advanced, whose purpose it would be to make evaluation and selection more systematic and informed.1
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Most advanced level English language textbooks, prescribed for students at different institutes, were not chosen by the careful application of objective evaluation criteria.
“Most advanced level English language textbooks, prescribed for students at different institutes, were not chosen by the careful application of objective evaluation criteria.”
From Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluative Checklist (2013) · cites this paper as Sheldon (1988:240)
The Abstract (page unavailable) says textbook choices are most often made in haste with few systematically applied criteria, and the discussion of evaluation checklists (page unavailable) describes choices as ad hoc and rushed. The paper does not establish this specifically for most advanced-level textbooks prescribed at different institutes. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredChecklists are useful instruments for teachers to select, adapt and evaluate textbooks.
“Checklists are considered useful instruments for teachers in order to select, adapt and evaluate textbooks (Sheldon, 1988; Mc Grath, 2006).”
From Developing a CLIL textbook evaluation checklist (2016) · cites this paper as Sheldon, 1988
The method of selecting English language textbooks prescribed for students of different stages is unsatisfactory and away from being scientific.
“It is a matter of fact that the method of selecting English language textbooks prescribed for students of different stages is unsatisfactory and away from being scientific.”
From Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluative Checklist (2013) · cites this paper as Sheldon (1988:240)
Textbooks merely grow from and imitate other textbooks and do not admit the winds of change from research, methodological experimentation, or classroom feedback.
“There may be a closed circle at work here, wherein textbooks merely grow from and imitate other textbooks and do not admit the winds of change from research, methodological experimentation, or classroom feedback. (Sheldon, 1988, p. 239).”
From The Global ELT coursebook: A case of Cinderella's slipper? (2022) · cites this paper as Sheldon, 1988
The use of published coursebooks is largely the norm in today's language classroom; they have remained as much 'the visible heart' of many ELT programmes as when Sheldon first made that observation over 30 years ago.
“The use of published coursebooks is largely the norm in today ' s language classroom, indeed they have remained as much ' the visible heart ' of many ELT programmes as when Sheldon first made that observation over 30 years ago (1988, p. 237).”
From The Global ELT coursebook: A case of Cinderella's slipper? (2022) · cites this paper as Sheldon, 1988
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Cites
No references could be resolved yet.
Research works printed but not linked: 8
- Allwright, R. 1981. 'What do we want teaching materials for?' ELT Journal 36/1:5-18.
- CarrelL P. L. 1984. 'Schema theory and ESL reading: classroom implications and applications.' Modem Language Journal 68/4:332-43.
- Cunningsworth, A. 1979. 'Evaluating course materials' in S. Holden (ed.): Teacher Training. London: Modern English Publications.
- Canningsworth, A. 1987. 'Coursebooks and conver- sational skills' in L. E. Sheldon (ed.): ELT Textbooks and Materials: Problems in Evaluation and Development (ELTDocuments 126). Oxford: Modern English Pub- lications/The British Council. EFL Gazette. 1987. 'Business books survey.' Number 96, page 7. EFL Gazette. 1987. 'Five great reads?' Number 97, page
- Hutchinson, T. and A. Waters. 1987. English For Specific Purposes: A Learning-Centred Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- van Iier, L. 1979. 'Choosing a new EFL course.' Mextesol Journal 111/3:2-14.
- Swales, J. 1980. 'ESP: the textbook problem.' ESP Journal 1/1:11-23.
- Williams, D. 1983. 'Developing criteria for textbook evaluation.' ELT Journal 37/3:251-5.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Materials development for language learning and teaching
Tomlinson, B. (2012) · Language Teaching · doi:10.1017/s0261444811000528 · Cited by 811 · see citing works
Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluative Checklist
An Assistant Professor at Al Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, C. O. L. A. T., & Mohamed, M. (2013) · IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSRJRME) · doi:10.9790/7388-0135570 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
The Global ELT coursebook: A case of Cinderella's slipper?
Mishan, F. (2022) · Language Teaching · doi:10.1017/s0261444820000646 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“(Sheldon, 1988, p. 239).”
Hedging praise in English and Japanese book reviews
Itakura, H. (2013) · Journal of Pragmatics · doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2012.11.003 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Developing a CLIL textbook evaluation checklist
LÓPEZ MEDINA, B. (2016) · Latin American Journal of Content & Language Integrated Learning · doi:10.5294/laclil.2016.9.1.7 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
“Checklists are considered useful instruments for teachers in order to select, adapt and evaluate textbooks (Sheldon, 1988; Mc Grath, 2006).”
BackgroundEvaluation of the English language coursebooks used at the Turkish public elementary schools
SOLHİ, M., SAK, M., ŞAHİN, Ş., & YILMAZ, S. (2020) · Dil ve Dilbilimi Çalışmaları Dergisi · doi:10.17263/jlls.803714 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
“More than two decades ago, Sheldon (1988) asserted that there is no accurate framework or a system for coursebook assessment, which makes this process essentially subjective.”
BackgroundSoe, T. (2024) · Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition · doi:10.31261/tapsla.13882 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Sheldon (1988) proposed a 17-item-list of common core factors for ELT textbook assessment, which mainly focuses on practicabil - ity, flexibility, accessibility, and layout of teaching materials.”
Background
- Authors
- Sheldon, L. E.
- Corresponding author
- Sheldon, L. E.
- Venue
- ELT Journal
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1988-10-01
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 237-246
- ISSN
- 0951-0893 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-4526
- OpenAlex
- W2152440597
- Cited by
- 731
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 59 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 3.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ELT Journal (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › English Language Learning and Teaching
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Methods and Analysis
- Keywords
- ELT textbooks, textbook evaluation, textbook selection, language teaching materials, product evaluation, qualitative evaluation criteria
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