This document discusses choosing an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) coursebook. It begins by outlining the objectives of discussing the usefulness of ESP coursebooks, important aspects to consider when choosing one, and presenting criteria for analyzing coursebooks. It then discusses arguments for and against using coursebooks, considering learner needs, relevance, flexibility, and standardization. Key aspects for choosing a coursebook are identified as relevance, levels, skills, topics and methodology. Criteria for evaluating coursebooks include face value/transparency, affective depth, cognitive push, and coherence/cohesion. The document demonstrates applying these criteria to analyze an ESP coursebook. It concludes by encouraging readers to continue developing their ESP teaching skills.

1. “Sharing and Improving our
ESP Practices”
August 8th
Module 1: Choosing your ESP
Coursebook
Profesorado Superior de Lenguas Vivas
Programa Nacional de Formación Docente

2. Objectives
 Discuss about the usefulness of ESP
coursebooks
 Discuss about the most important
aspects when choosing an ESP
coursebook
 Present a set of criteria for analyzing
coursebooks

3. Module 1:Choosing your ESP
Coursebook
 Arguments for and against
coursebooks
 Aspects to consider when choosing a
coursebook
 Break
 Criteria for evaluating coursebooks
 Evaluating your ESP coursebook
 Round - up

4.  For  Against
Coursebooks: To use or not to
use them

5.  For
 A coursebook is framework which regulates and
times the programs,
 In the eye of learners, no coursebook means no
purpose,
 without a coursebook learners think their learning is
not taken seriously,
 In many situations, a coursebook can work as a
syllabus,
 A coursebook provides ready-made teaching texts
and learning tasks
 A learner without a textbook is out of focus and
teacher-dependent, and perhaps most important of
all,
Coursebooks: To use or not to
use them

6.  Against
 If every group of students has different needs, no one
textbook can be a response to all differing needs,
 Topics in a textbook may not be relevant for and interesting to
all,
 A textbook is confining, i.e., it inhibits teachers' creativity,
 A textbook of necessity sets prearranged sequence and
structure that may not be realistic and situation-friendly,
 Textbooks have their own rationale, and as such they cannot
by their nature cater for a variety of levels
 Teachers may find themselves as mediators with no free
hand and slave, in fact, to others' judgments about what is
good and what is not
 Ansary, H. & Babaii, E. (2002) Universal Characteristics of EFL/ESL Textbooks: A
Step Towards Systematic Textbook Evaluation. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VIII,
Coursebooks: To use or not to
use them

7. Considerations for choosing an
ESP coursebook
 If you have the opportunity of
choosing your coursebook, what
aspects do you consider important to
bare in mind?
 List 5 relevant aspects

8. Criteria for evaluating
coursebooks
 Face value or Transparency
 Affective Depth
 Cognitive Push
 Coherence, Cohesion and Unity

9. Face Value and Transparency
 Materials should fit with the learners’
previous experiences and
expectations
 Balance between explicit and implicit
aims
 Materials should make the teaching
aims clear through situations, context
and examples
 Materials should not use complex
metalanguage

10. Affective Depth
 Materials should awaken associations
and echoes in the affective domain
 Materials should lead learners to
express their real and imaginary
selves through the language and
activities
 Materials should foster self-confidence
 Materials should seek to create
positive group work

11. Cognitive Push
 Materials should create a cognitive
conflict and lead the learners gradually
beyond their current level of
attainment
 Materials should help learners get
insight into the underlying structure of
the language
 Materials should seek to develop
productive learning strategies

12. Coherence, Cohesion and
Unity
 The three dimensions already explained
should be organised into meaningful
patterns
 The organisation of materials should be
clear and economic
 Devices: progression and gradation /
storyline / topic and theme
 Coherence with ruling principle
 Internal cohesion
 Robert O'Neill (1996)

13. Evaluate your coursebook
 Consider:
 Face value or Transparency
 Affective Depth
 Cognitive Push
 Coherence, Cohesion and Unity

14. To do list
Read the required bibliography from
Module 1
Post your task in the forum and
respond substantively to at least one
of your colleagues
Keep on working hard!

15. THANK YOU!
“ESP is a challenge for all who teach it, and it offers
virtually unlimited opportunities for professional growth”
(Smoak, 2003)