Role Of Textbook In ELT Context

2.1. The Role of Textbook in ELT Context Textbooks are useful and important in ELT context but providing an exact and perfect definition of their t role is very difficult. For years there have been vigorous arguments on desirability of using textbooks as a basis for teaching. Advocates for using textbooks like Grave (2007) who defines them as important teaching materials that provide the syllabus of a course, a map of the course for learners, and a set of activities as a basis for learners’ assessment. McGrath (2002) believes textbooks set direction, content, and method of teaching. Grainger (2001) states their usefulness in lessening the pressures on teachers and preparation time. According to Ur(1996) textbooks offer a clear

• Limitations: Their use may inhibit teacher’s creativity.

• Insufficiency: No textbook can’t cater for different learners with different learning needs.

• Over-easiness: The teachers follow a textbook without initiative.

2.2. Reasons for Textbook Evaluations The mentioned textbooks’ advantageous and disadvantageous and a brief review of extensive literature on textbook evaluation reveal its importance. Textbook evaluation is important for many and various reasons: the need to adapt new textbooks; permit the instructors to use strong points and strengthen the weak points by adapting and using other textbooks; help teachers to gain good insight toward the nature of textbooks; develop the teachers’ awareness in the different ways of evaluation. Some of Sheldon’s (1988) reasons for textbook evaluation are: Enables the managerial and teachers to discriminate between all of the available textbooks on the market. Make educators to be familiar with a book 's content and identify the strengths and weaknesses in textbooks already in use. Helps teachers to make best use of a book 's strong points and recognizing the shortcomings of certain exercises, tasks, and entire

Theoretical Perspective on Textbook Evaluation Some theorists propose three ways to do textbook evaluation that can be chosen based on teaching purposes: pre-use, whilst-use, and post-use

a. ‘‘Pre-use’ or ‘predictive’ textbook evaluation (Ellis.1997., McGrath.2oo2., & Tomlinson. 2003) is the most common one that predict the potential value and performance of textbook. This is the most difficult one because it’s before actual using of textbook under evaluation.

b. ‘Whilst-use’ or ‘in- use’ textbook evaluation (McGrath.2oo2., & Tomlinson. 2003) is measuring the value of materials while it’s being used, in order to match it against the learners’ objective and background.

c. ‘Post-use’, ‘retrospective’ or ‘reflective’ textbook evaluation ( McGrath. 2oo2., & Tomlinson. 2003) is the last way to analyze a textbook value after continual uses to decide about its future