This document evaluates 7 English language teaching materials used in the UK based on 4 criteria: how authentic the English exposure is, how meaningful the exposure is to learners, how interesting the texts are to learners, and how likely the activities are to provide opportunities for communication. Overall, the materials scored best on including a variety of genres and contemporary texts to interest learners, though some texts may be biased towards Western media. Exposure to authentic English increased with levels but was still limited. Later materials incorporated more personalized topics meaningful to learners and stimulated real-life language use.

1. MATERIALS FOR
GENERAL ENGLISH
Hitomi Masuhara and Brian Tomlinson

2. Coursebooks often come with; Additional Materials;
• A Student Book • Cassette Tapes
• A Teacher‟s Book • CD Rom Tests
• A Workbook • Extra Resources
• Photocopiable Materials
• Videos
• Web Resources
• Mini-dictionaries
• Mini-reference Books
• Extensive Reader Booklets

3. Major global coursebooks seem to be mainly
targeting two different kinds of teaching
contexts: „General English‟ (GE) in English-
speaking countries and „English as a Foreign
Language‟ (EFL) in non-speaking countries.

4. Main needs of GE learners;
• To improve the four language skills, especially
speaking and listening to everyday English.
These learners are well aware that English is
widely used as a lingua franca or as an
international language.
• Another major reason for enrolling in GE
courses is an instrumental motivation in that
being fluent in English will give them better job
prospects in the near future.

5. Are the GE/EFL coursebooks meeting
the users’ needs and wants?
According to survey; GE and EFL contexts do
share some similarities in that:
• Teachers have tended to be native speakers from
English-speaking countries.
• Teaching has mainly taken place in language
schools, colleges and universities in which
courses focus on developing the four language
skills for communication.

6. Coursebooks give ideas for experienced teachers to
plan their lessons and scripts for teachers who are
new or lack confidence in using English in
classrooms. They also provide a focus for their
teaching.
Students appreciate the variety of activities and the
colorful appearance of coursebooks. Students, both
in GE and EFL contexts said that they can physically
see what they have done in classes.

7. Some differences between GE and EFL
contexts;
• In GE, students are physically in the English-
speaking environment. The learners face
immediate needs for everyday communication to
cope with life outside the classrooms.
• The length of GE courses tends to be short. (e.g.
two-four weeks)
• The number in a class is on the small side and
classes tend to consist of multi-cultural learners
with different previous training experiences.

8. • EFL learners, on the other hand, do not have
immediate everyday communication needs
outside the classroom.
• The length of the course tends to be at the level
of term, semester or academic year an the class
is more likely to consist of a homogenous mono-
lingual/mono-cultural group.
• EFL learners often face examinations.

9. Similarities and differences of GE and EFL Contexts
GENERAL ENGLISH ENGLISH AS A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
TEACHERS •Often white native •The same as GE
speakers •allows more variation
TEACHING VENUE •Language schools, FE, • The same as GE
HE •Some private sector
schools
CONTENT •Four skills •The same as GE
•Language teaching
NEEDS AND WANTS •English for everday •English for no
interaction immediate and specific
•English for jobs purposes
•Langugae •Vague wish for
improvement(especially acguiring a lingua franca
vocab and grammer)

10. GENERAL ENGLISH ENGLISH AS A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
CLASS SIZE •Small classes (about 10- •Large classes (about 15-
15) 100)
ENVIRONMENT •English speaking •Surrounded by local
OUTSIDE CLASSROOM vernaculars
•Level and amount of
English input outside
classroom varies
URGENCY •Immediate needs for •No immediate
everyday communication communicative needs
outside classroom
LENGTH OF COURSE •Generally short (2-4 •Term (e.g. 10 weeks),
weeks) semester (e.g. 14 weeks),
academic year (35
weeks)
EXAM PRESSURE •Not imminent •Exams expected at the
end

11. In the survey, GE students; (119 responses in all)
• Seem to indicate that the would appreciate
materials which help them to manage everyday
interactions in the specific English-speaking
environment that they are in.
• Commented that they would like what they do in
the classroom to have more connection with
what happens to them outside the classroom.

12. In the survey, GE teachers (60 responses in all) supported
that the major problems with GE materials are that:
• There are too many dry and dull texts
• Many of the texts are not authentic or real
• Texts and activities are not preparing students
for real life situations
• Texts and activities do not engage the interest of
foreign students
• Texts and activities seem to be culturally biased
towards white middle-class British.
• Grammar exercises are often not related to texts
• There are so many activities to get through
• Formats are repetitive

13. EFL learners and teachers, on the
other hand;
• Seem to find texts which focus on everyday
interaction in the UK or USA to be interesting
but not relevant enough.
• Commented that they would like to see more
topics related to their lives.
• Also pointed out that they would appreciate
coursebooks catering for different learning styles
and offering more flexibility for them, so they
can be „owners of learning, not slaves of
textbooks.‟

14. As Tomlinson (2006) points out, every part involved
in materials production and consumption should
take their share of responsibility. Learning would be
far more effective if:
curriculum developers and materials writers
started to cater more to divergent needs and
wants, if teachers more readily and confidently
adapted materials for their specific learners and
if learners are encouraged and helped to make more
decisions for themselves. (Tomlinson 2006: 1)

15. An Evaluation of Sample of ELT
materials used in UK
Material 1 (Beginner) = Crace, A. & Quintana, J (2006), Reach Book 1.
Oxford University Press.
Material 2 (Elementary) = Le Maisure, S. & Lewis, C. (2002),
Language to Go (Elementary). Longman Pearson Educational
Material 3 (Low Intermediate) = McCarthy, M., McCarten, J. &
Sandiford, H. (2006), Touchstone Book 3. Cambridge University
Press
Material 4 (Intermediate) = Harmer, J. (2004), Just Right. Marshall
Cavendish
Material 5 (Upper Intermediate) = Kay, S., Hird, J. & Maggs, P.
(2006), Move Macmillan
Material 6 (Upper Intermediate) = Harris, M. Mower, D. & Sikoryska,
A. (2006), New Opportunities. Pearson Longman
Material 7 (Advanced) = Pulverness, A. (2011), Changing Skies. Swan.

16. MATERIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
-CRITERIA
1 To what extent 4 3 8 8 7 8 8 Very little exposure in the lower levels. Efforts
do the materials made to replicate authentic features of spoken
provide exposure discourse at varying level. A variety of genres
to English in covered Materials 4,6,7 offer comparatively
authentic use? longer texts but still less than a page. Material
6 offers extensive reading in Literature Spot
section at the end. Material 7 declares
„adaptation‟ of authentic texts.
MATERIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
-CRITERIA
2 To what extent 5 4 7 7 7 8 8 All the materials try to include
is the exposure personalization to a certain degree. Material 5
to English in use features a lot of universal topics in a
likely to be personalized manner. Material 6 stimulates
meaningful to personal starts to units and often leads onto
the target activities with real life outcome (e.g. Mod, 4,
learners? 16, 3 Writing a film review) Material 7 deals
with European issues meaningful to the target
learners.

17. MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
3 To what 5 5 7 8 7 8 8 Varied genre and contemporary texts in
extent are the most of the materials. Possibly biased
texts likely to towards Western media? Materials 3 and
interest the 7 clearly specify their target learners and
learners? teaching contexts. Do teenagers really
welcome the kinds of stereotypical
“Teenage topics” in Material 1?
MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
4 To what 4 3 6 7 7 7 8 With the exception of Material 7 the
extent are the books of follow a PPP (Presentation,
activities likely Practice and Production) approach and
to provide their main intention seems to be to teach
achievable language items and features explicitly.
challenges to Stock examination type exercises (e.g.
the learners? True/false, multiple choice) feature
strongly and they sometimes seem to
spoil the potential of engaging texts, as in
Material 6 (p.40, pp. 132-3)

18. METERIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
- CTITERIA
5 To what 4 4 7 6 7 7 8 Attractive visuals, selection of engaging topics,
extent are the texts and involving activities contribute to
activities likely affective engagement in all the materials. Pity
that language questions, comprehension checks
to provide
and exercise interfere in most cases (e.g.
achievable Material 5, Unit 4, „Lead in‟, Reading and
challenges to Vocab 1,3 ,4 and 5 take away the engagement).
the learners? Material 7 takes a consistent text-based
cognitive approach. How do the learners with
other learning preferences feel?
METERIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
- CTITERIA
6 To what 4 5 7 7 7 8 9 All the materials seem to involve discussions at
extent are the one point, e.g. Material 2 „L38 Big Issues‟ ,
activities likely Material 4 „Unit 4 Debate, role play‟. Materials
6 and 7 iclude provocative topics and „think‟
to engage the
questions. Tips from a language corpus in
target leraners Material 3 may be welcomed by those who are
cognitively? interested.

19. MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
7 To what extent 4 5 7 7 7 9 7 Materials 1-4 seem to be basically based on the
do the activities PPP approach. Material 3 has some discovery
provide activities (e.g. Finding and thinking about „used
opportunities for to‟ and „would‟ on p. 36). Material 4 uses texts
learners to make to find examples of lexical chunks and then
discoveries about encourages making use of a Mini Reference
how English is Book: a good recycling idea. Material 5 has
used? useful language awareness activities but their
focus is on form and not on use.
MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
8 To what extent 4 6 7 7 7 8 8 Discussions, debate, personalized speaking and
do the activities writing activities in all the materials. Material 5
provide has some varied and useful activities for
opportunities for production (e.g. Unit 4 „Writing a letter of
meaningful use of complaint‟, Module 2 Extra practice). Materials
English. 6 and 7 designed to ensure real-life outcomes
as a result of speaking/writing.

20. MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
9 To what extent 4 4 6 6 6 7 7 At lower levels, the only feedback seems
do the materials to be answer keys or teachers‟ feedback.
provide Some interesting writing like writing
opportunities for gripes and blog page in Material 3 which
the learners to uses pair work for comparison but does
gain feedback on not go any further. In Material 4,
the effectiveness prediction, comparision with examples
of their use of (e.g. listening17U4) could provide varied
English? feedback. In Material 6 and 7 activities are
sequenced so learners receive feedback in
various forms.
MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
10 To what 5 6 7 7 7 8 7 All the materials seem to try to vary their
extent are the format to a certain degree. Materials 4,5,6
materials likely and 7 are mainly based on interesting
to sustain texts which are exploited in different
positive impact. kinds of activities.

21. MATERAIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
- CRITERIA
11 To what extent 3 3 6 6 6 7 7 It is not evident that any of the sample
do the materials materials try to make use of the English-
help the learners to speaking environment outside the
make use of the
classroom though text assume the outside
English-speaking
environment world. Material 3 uses the Internet and
outside the talks about American usage of language
classroom? but all the activities seem to be for
classroom sessions.
MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
12 To what extent 3 5 6 6 6 7 7 None of the materials appear to make
do the materails explicit connections to how the classroom
help the learners to learning can be applied outside the
operate effectively
classroom. In materail , not so much
in the English-
speaking consideration seems to be given to
environment appropriacy or effectiveness of language
outside the use. Material 6 tries to prepare learners
classroom? for real life interaction.

22. MATERAIALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
- CRITERIA
13 To what 3 5 5 5 6 8 7 Some of the characters are from different cultures
extent do the and in some units there are photos and features on
materials treat different countries in all the materials. These non-
native faces and places, however, are often
English as an
associated with tourists attractions. Material 6 has a
international section on English as an International Language,
language? showing how English has spread around the world
and considers positive and negative implications.
Material 7 often deals with European issues using
English as a lingua franca.
MATERAIALS- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 COMMENTS
CRITERIA
14 To what extent 3 6 6 6 6 9 9 Five out of seven sample materials deal with
do the materials culture in some ways. Some explore more deeply
provide implicit subcultures. „Culture Corner‟ in material
opportunities for 6 is useful. Would have been interesting if
cultural awareness? material 3 showed some interesting language use
for culturally tricky situations such as requests
and refusal.
Total (out of 100) 37 44 65 62 64 76 74

23. Material 1 (Beginner) = Crace, A. & Quintana, J
(2006), Reach Book 1. Oxford University Press.
• Has an interesting storyline and the dialogues
try to stimulate authentic features.
• Includes topics such as fashion, celebrity and
parents but seems to have a British and North
American focus with limited coverage of the
other parts of the world.

24. Material 2 (Elementary) = Le Maisure, S. & Lewis, C.
(2002), Language to Go (Elementary). Longman Pearson
Educational
• Short and snappy units with wide coverage of
contemporary topics with attractive photos.
• Most of the exercises are very easy but attempts
are made to personalize them.
• Many mechanical gap-filling and grammar
exercises which are unlikely to engage the
learners.

25. Material 3 (Low Intermediate) = McCarthy, M., McCarten,
J. & Sandiford, H. (2006), Touchstone Book 3. Cambridge
University Press
• Contemporary and varied texts (e.g. Email,
internet, blog, magazine) in the North American
context.
• Some interesting real life production activities
like writing gripes, blog page, plus personalised
discussion topics.
• Discussion questions are interesting but
reporting the result of discussions to the class
may not be the real life outcome.
• Lots of gap-filling and conventional exercises
which are unlikely to engage the learners.

26. Material 4 (Intermediate) = Harmer, J. (2004),
Just Right. Marshall Cavendish
• Long, varied and engaging texts. The texts are
possibly more suited for Western intellectual
adults though.
• Quite a lot of activities which are real-life like
and personalised.
• Language awareness activities seem to be often
at a rather superficial level.

27. Material 5 (Upper Intermediate) = Kay, S., Hird, J. &
Maggs, P. (2006), Move Macmillan
• Lots of universally engaging human stories and
personalized activities. Good to see the sources
printed next to texts.
• There are many useful language awareness
activities which get the learners to discover
things about language use for themselves. Even
so most of the activities focus only on form.
• For an Upper Intermediate Level book the texts
seem surprisingly short and simple.

28. Material 6 (Upper Intermediate) = Harris, M. Mower, D. & Sikoryska, A.
(2006), New Opportunities. Pearson Longman
• The writers seem to be well aware of the
recommendatitions and theorists and have
applied principles of language awareness and
English as an international language to their
development of materials.
• Lots of long, contemporary and engaging texts
with an authentic feel.
• Personalised start of units, followed by activities
that lead to real life outcomes.
• An interesting and useful Culture Corner and
useful inclussion of historical issues.

29. Material 7 (Advanced) = Pulverness, A. (2011),
Changing Skies. Swan.
• Also demonstrates knowledge, awareness and
experience of relevant theories and practice.
• Well-selected realistic texts for the specific target
learners.
• Deals with serious issues and is designed to make
learners thinks and feel.
• Activities are carefully and skillfully sequenced to
facilitate language acquisiton and educational
development, often using peers in giving feedback
and providing opportunities for communication
using English as a lingua franca.
• All the units, however, seem to favour cognitive,
analytical and through readers.

30. Hitomi Masuhara’s suggestions for
Improvements
• Introduce interesting people and their views and
opinions from different ethnic groups.
• Offer opportunities for
language/cultural/critical awareness that helps
learners to reflect on their own use of language
as well as others.
• Explore different varieties of language
• Offer opportunities to consider effective ways of
communication with people with various
backrounds and sense of values.

31. Hitomi Masuhara’s suggestions for
Improvements
• Help teachers and learners to realize that they are
no neutral, correct and perfect language users.
• Are produced after intelligent and critical
appreciation of theories of language learning and
teaching.
• Provide ready resources varied and affectively
engaging.
• Offer creative ways of satisfying the cognitive level
of young/adult learners with limited language
ability.

32. Brian Tomlinson’s suggestions for
improvements
• Not only focus on helping learners to become
accurate and fluent but also help them to
become appropriate and effective
communicators.
• Provide ways of helping the teacher to give
outcome related feedback and helping learners
to gain information on the effectiveness of their
task performance.
• Provide more opportunities for extensive
reading, listening and viewing.