Textbook Evaluation

Textbook Evaluation Overview & Chapter Evaluation

About the Textbook

The name of the textbook I use for my classroom is Pathways: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking; Level 2 with Becky Chase, Paul MacIntyre, and Kathy Najafi as the authors. I am using it in a high school classroom with the 5Cs as the main attraction when comparing and introducing new topics in. The origin of the 5cs often comes from problem-based learning that focuses on collaboration, critical thinking skills, time management skills, and problem solving. The 5Cs include communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities (Chase, 58). These 5cs are based on the textbook evaluation ACTFL standards (The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). This was developed to help with the consistency in language content, instruction, and delivery across the world. These are also used with the seven curricular elements: language systems, communication strategies, cultural knowledge, learning strategies, content from other subject areas, critical-thinking skills, and technology. 

            The textbook does very well at allowing the reader to make inferences and take information from the photographs presented while informing the reader on facts. The textbook also requires the student to work with a partner on numerous exercises which I find helpful because it allows the student to communicate verbally instead of just writing. The textbook also incorporates listening features for the students to focus on in order to perfect their enunciate their words clearly. This part has helped me emphasize the importance of reading sentences aloud to my students because we tend to read in our minds which can cause you to overlook important parts.

 How I incorporate the textbook into my lessons

            I would supplement the textbook for in class exercises when it comes to having the reader pronounce the words correctly with phonetic spelling. Since the book is in all English, phonetic spelling would have been very helpful to students who are not fluent in English. Teachers can make a visual exercise with phonetic spelling to help the students out with how they should pronounce the words. 

Overall evaluation

            The overall evaluation I would give this textbook would be a B+. The book does really well with covering the basics for helping the students with listening, reading, vocabulary, and writing. On page 51; section B for example, I think it’s great how the author lets the students converse with their peers about what they read and how they felt about it.  This falls in line with the 5cs and how collaboration and communication strategies are super important when learning another language.

Chapter Evaluation

            The chapter I have picked is chapter 3: Culture and Tradition. The objectives of this chapter are to activate prior knowledge, ask for and give clarification, reduce function words, ask questions while listening, and to use a number list. The objectives are stated at the beginning of the chapter on page 41. The language skills being addressed are past tense, present, and the future. It also focuses on analyzing information the students have read. This chapter explains stories about cowboys relating to culture and past tense verbs, making sure the students says it aloud. The activities follow in a logical progression meaning it goes from vocabulary, listening, then speaking. The activities also get more complex as you turn the page. For example, on page 68, exercise A makes the student fill in a “P” for passive voice or “A” for Active voice. Exercise F on the next page makes the student answer questions aloud with a partner while having to read the questions as well which is more rigorous than just applying “P” or “A” to a sentence. The activities are very structured using authentic language forms, meaning they stress the importance of real life conversations as opposed to drills. They make the students engage with listening as well. 

Conclusion

            Overall, this textbook does a phenomenal job of breaking down the basics of speaking, writing, and listening. It is very easy to follow and understand because of the way the exercises and book is structured. The book also incorporates the importance of 5cs which will help students learn the language more effectively. The most important part that I think is extremely helpful is that it makes the students reach out to their peers and discuss what they read. This allows the students to dive deeper into their analytical and comprehension skills. This book does a great job at covering all aspects of learning another language.