VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES POSTGRADUATE DEPARTMENT NGUYEN TIT TOU TEN AN EVALUATION OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF MATERIAL “ELEMENTARY MARKET-LEADER” FOR HANOL UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND TECLINOLOGY (HÁNH GIÁ ĐỘ PHÙ HỢP CỦA GIÁO TRINH “ELEMENTARY MARKET LEADER” BOI VOL 'TRƯỜNG DẠI HỌC KINH DOANT VÀ CÔNG NGITE TTA NOT) M.A Minor Program ‘Thesis Field: Methodology Code: 601410 TIANOI — JULY, 2009 COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES POSTGRADUATE DEPARTMENT NGUYEN THI THU AIEN AN EVALUATION OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF MATERIAL “ELEMENTARY MARKET-LEADER” FOR HANOI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY (ĐÁNH GIÁ ĐỘ PHÙ HOP CUA GIAO TRINH “ELEMENTARY MARKET-LEADER" BOI VOL "TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC KINH DOANH VÀ CÔNG NGHỆ HÀ NỘI) M.A Minor Program Thesis Field: Methodology Code: 601410 Supervisor: Dr. DUONG TIT NU HANOI — JULY, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT ‘TABLE OF CONTENTS UST OF ABBREVIATIONS UIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES INTRODUCTION 1 1, BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1 2. AIMS OF THE THESIS 2 3, SIGNIFICANCE OF THE THESIS 2 4, THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 2 5. THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY 3 6, OVERVIEW OF THE THESIS.
3 DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: UTERATURE REVIEW. MATERIALS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING 1.1 The Roles of Teaching Materials 1. ypes of Materials 1. In-house Materials 1.
Reasons for Materials valuation 1. Definitions of Materials Evaluation 1. Typas of Materials Evaluation 10 1.4, Models for Materlals Evaluation 10 1. Criteria for Materials Evaluation 12 1.1, The Context of Adaptation 14 1.
Reasons tor Adaptation 15 1.3 Techniques for Adaptation 15 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY 18 2. THE SETTING OF THE STUDY 18 2.2, THE MATERIAL ELEMENTARY MARKET-LEADER USED FOR FRESHMEN AT HUBT 1â 2.4, DATA COLLECTION METHODS 19 2.4, DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE 19 2.1, Document Analysis as 2.3, The Teacher Interviews 20 2.8, SUBJECTS OF THE RESEARCH 32L 2.1, The students 2L As a source for reference: Materials help learners to make “efficient use of the resourees in order to facilitate selfediscovery” (Torlinson, 1998: 11). For Ihis function, according to Dudley-vans & SI John (1998), the materials need to be “complete, well laid out and self-explanatory” (p172). In other words, the materials need to provide explanations, examples and practice activilies (hal have answer and discus jon key so that the stu Ws can use (hem for self~ study.
What needs to be taken into account at this point is the difference in Jearning styles among the learners. ‘This means that activities should be “variable and should cater for all Jearning styles” (Tomlinson, 1998: 17) Obviously, icaching materials arc a key and crucial component in any language teaching contexts. The teacher needs to take account of the roles as well as the requirements of teaching materials when designing and selecting materiats for his or her own teaching situationto facilitate the most Icarning form students. Types of Muterials 1.
Textbooks Textbooks refer to the commercially published malctials, The most obvious advantage of these materials is its availability for use. O’Neil (cited in Robinson, 1991) believes that no other mediumis as easy to use as textbook. More importantly, “a textbook is complete nol just ir Ihe physical sc sc bút in the sense that the whole term’s or yoar’s course is available to the students at once” (p58) In some situations, textbooks serve as the basis for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the classroom. They provide structurcs and syllabus for a program that has been systematically developed and planned.
However, textbooks also have some limitations. Ewer and Boys (cited in Robinson, 1991) present a slrong allack on published lexthooks that some really fundamental factors of textbooks such as the validity of the linguistic content, the accuracy of the explanations and examples given, the mumber and coverage of the exercises provided have been ignored bocause the wrilers just focus on approach and methodology. Morcover,as Swal (cited in Robinson, 1991) indicates published textbooks are “less-sufficient in practice materials and in coverage of skill areas” (p57) so the textbooks need to be supplemented by other As a source for reference: Materials help learners to make “efficient use of the resourees in order to facilitate selfediscovery” (Torlinson, 1998: 11). For Ihis function, according to Dudley-vans & SI John (1998), the materials need to be “complete, well laid out and self-explanatory” (p172).
In other words, the materials need to provide explanations, examples and practice activilies (hal have answer and discus jon key so that the stu Ws can use (hem for self~ study. What needs to be taken into account at this point is the difference in Jearning styles among the learners. ‘This means that activities should be “variable and should cater for all Jearning styles” (Tomlinson, 1998: 17) Obviously, icaching materials arc a key and crucial component in any language teaching contexts. The teacher needs to take account of the roles as well as the requirements of teaching materials when designing and selecting materiats for his or her own teaching situationto facilitate the most Icarning form students.
Types of Muterials 1. Textbooks Textbooks refer to the commercially published malctials, The most obvious advantage of these materials is its availability for use. O’Neil (cited in Robinson, 1991) believes that no other mediumis as easy to use as textbook. More importantly, “a textbook is complete nol just ir Ihe physical sc sc bút in the sense that the whole term’s or yoar’s course is available to the students at once” (p58) In some situations, textbooks serve as the basis for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the classroom.
They provide structurcs and syllabus for a program that has been systematically developed and planned. However, textbooks also have some limitations. Ewer and Boys (cited in Robinson, 1991) present a slrong allack on published lexthooks that some really fundamental factors of textbooks such as the validity of the linguistic content, the accuracy of the explanations and examples given, the mumber and coverage of the exercises provided have been ignored bocause the wrilers just focus on approach and methodology. Morcover,as Swal (cited in Robinson, 1991) indicates published textbooks are “less-sufficient in practice materials and in coverage of skill areas” (p57) so the textbooks need to be supplemented by other DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter is aimed at providing a theoretical base to develop an operational framework for the evaluation of the material “Lilementary Market-Leader” currently used for first-year students of business majors at Ilanoi University of Business and Technology (HUBT), ‘The first part inthis chapter relates to teaching materials with regards to their roles in language (saching and lypes of materials.
The second part pressnis the review of literature concerning major issues in materials evaluation, model tor evaluation and criteria for evaluation. ‘The third part disonsses some important issues about materials adaptation. MATERIALS IN LANGUAGE TEACIIENG AND LEARNING 1.1 The Roles of Teaching Materials Teaching materials are a key component in most language programs. According to Dudley Evans & St.
John (1998), materials are used in all teaching and their role in the process of language teaching and learning is of greal imporlance. Nunan (1988) also mentions the vital role of teaching materials as follows. “Materials are in fact an essential element within the curriculum, wid do auore than sitmply lubricate the wheels of Icaming. At their best they provide concrete models of desirable classroom practice, they act as curriculum models for teachers to follow in developing their own materials.98) ‘The roles of teaching materials in language teaching in general and in ESP in particular will be discussed in morte details in the next parl of this section.
= The Role of Teaching Materials in General English Course. The important roles that teaching taterials play in Tonguage teaching are mentioned by different authors in the literature, Richards and Rodgers (cited in Nunan, 1991) view instructional materials as detailed specifications of content, and guide to tcachers on both the intensity of coverage and the amount of attention demanded by particular content or pedagogical tasks. Richard and Rodgers’ perspective is supported and clarified by Richards (2001), who pointed out that teaching materials can serve as the basis for much of the language input that the leamers received and as the source for mmch of the language practice that ovens in the classroom, Richard further explains thal materials provide a basic for the content of the lesson, the balance of skills taught, and the kind of language practice students take part in. + The Role of Teaching Materials in ESP Course Dudley-vans and St John (1998) have summed up four functions of teaching materials in ESP conse: as a source of langnage, as a learning support, as a source of tnotivation and stinmilation and as a source for reference.
As @ source of languaye: In some situations where English is a forcign language, not @ sccond language, the ESP classroom may be almost the only source of English. Materials the play a crucial role in exposing learners to the language, which imaplies that the materials need to present real language, as it is uscd, and the fail range that Learners require. Therefore, materials necd to maximize exposure to the language, for instance, by providing additional matetials. As a learning support: ‘Asa leaming support, materials need to be reliable, that is, to work, to be consistent and have some recognizable pattern.
‘To enhance learning, materials must involve leamers in thinking about and using the Tangnags. The activitics need Lo stimmiate cognitive, nol mechanical prog s. The learners also need a st ¢ of progression As a source for stimulation and motivation: In order to stimulate and motivate students, malcrials need to bs “challenging yet achievable, to offar new ideas and information whilst being grounded in the learners” experience and knowledge” (Oudley-Evans & St John, 1998: 172). ‘They farther explain thal the inpul must contain concepts and/ or knowledge thal are famniliar to Ihe learners, but it must also offer something new, a reason for the learners to communicate and to get involved.
vid LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1 Slages in the L'SP Process (Qudley-E vars: and St. 121) Figure 2 Materials Evaluation Process (Hutchinson & Waters.1 ‘Teachers’ Opinions of the Appropriateness of the Material to the Students’ Level of English Table 4.2 Teachers’ Opinions on the Difficulty of Different Parts of the Material ‘Table 4.3 Students’ Assessment of the Difficult Sections in the Material Table 4.4 Studcnls* Opinions on the Reasons Why Some Scelions are Difficult Table 4.5 Teaching and Learning Techniques Used and Suited to the Students Table 1.6 Teachers” Evaluation of the Guidance and Support from the Material vid LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1 Slages in the L'SP Process (Qudley-E vars: and St. 121) Figure 2 Materials Evaluation Process (Hutchinson & Waters.1 ‘Teachers’ Opinions of the Appropriateness of the Material to the Students’ Level of English Table 4.2 Teachers’ Opinions on the Difficulty of Different Parts of the Material ‘Table 4.3 Students’ Assessment of the Difficult Sections in the Material Table 4.4 Studcnls* Opinions on the Reasons Why Some Scelions are Difficult Table 4.5 Teaching and Learning Techniques Used and Suited to the Students Table 1.6 Teachers” Evaluation of the Guidance and Support from the Material materials. in-house Materials ‘There are also arguments for and against the use of in-house materials.
According to Robinson (1991), there are throo advantages of in-house matarials. Firslly, inhouse materials are Hkely (a be more specific and appropriate than public textbooks and ta lave greater face validityin terms of the language dealt with and the context it is presented in, Secondly, in-house materials may be more flexible than published textbooks, Finally, the writer of in-house materials can make sure that mcthodology is suitable for the intended learners. Despite advantages of in-house materials, there are some disadvantages. Reasons for Materials Evaluation Materials evaluation cannot be apart fiom a language training program.
