VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ******************* HOÀNG THỊ ANH THƠ AN EVALUATION OF THE COURSEBOOK “THE BUSINESS PRE-INTERMEDIATE” FOR THE FIRST- YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH AT VIETNAM UNIVERSITY OF COMMERCE ĐÁNH GIÁ GIÁO TRÌNH “THE BUSINESS PRE-INTERMEDIATE” DÙNG CHO SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT CHUYÊN NGÀNH TIẾNG ANH TRƢỜNG ĐẠI HỌC THƢƠNG MẠI M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Hanoi – 2017 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ************************ HOÀNG THỊ ANH THƠ AN EVALUATION OF THE COURSEBOOK “THE BUSINESS PRE-INTERMEDIATE” FOR THE FIRST- YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH AT VIETNAM UNIVERSITY OF COMMERCE (ĐÁNH GIÁ GIÁO TRÌNH “THE BUSINESS PRE-INTERMEDIATE” DÙNG CHO SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ NHẤT CHUYÊN NGÀNH TIẾNG ANH TRƢỜNG ĐẠI HỌC THƢƠNG MẠI M. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Assoc. Kiều Thị Thu Hƣơng Hanoi – 2017 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DECLARATION I, hereby, certify the study entitled “An evaluation of the coursebook “The business Pre-Intermediate” for first-year students majoring in English at Vietnam University of Commerce” is the result of my own research for the Minor Degree of Master of Arts at University of Language and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
This study has not, wholly or partially, been submitted for any degree at any other universities or institutions. Hanoi, 2017 Hoàng Thị Anh Thơ i LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc. Kiều Thị Thu Hương, who gave me instructions, encouragement and inspiration during my research. Without her valuable feedback and criticism, my study would not have been accomplished.
I also would like to express my special thanks to my teachers at University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their lectures and suggestions for the idea of the study. My gratitude also extends to my colleagues and my students at Vietnam University of Commerce for their help in completing questionnaires, interviews and as well as constructive suggestions. Lastly, I would like sincerely to say thank you to my family for their endless love and support from the beginning to the end of the study. They always stand by me even in the most difficult situation.
ii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ABSTRACT This present study evaluates the coursebook The business Pre-Intermediate for the first-year students majoring in English at English Faculty, Vietnam University of Commerce. The study aims at finding out some strengths and weaknesses of the coursebook from the students’ perspectives, then addressing some recommendations for effective coursebook usage. The evaluation was based on data collected from 115 students and 3 teachers in the form of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires were used to elicit the students’ perspectives towards the coursebook and their suggestions for improvement.
The interviews were conducted to collect the teachers’ recommendations for improvement. The researcher analyzed the questionnaire data by SPSS program with means, standard deviation and percentage. The data for suggestions was collected and summarized for analysis. The results of the evaluation show that the strengths of the coursebook consist of providing the students business language and skills to communicate in business contexts, suitable layout and organization, variety of topics, the appropriateness of number of vocabulary and grammar items.
The weaknesses of the coursebook include printing quality, pronunciation, challenge of some topics, listening and writing tasks, and assistance in self-study. Based on the result, some improvements are recommended such as using supplementary materials, exercise redesign, activity rearrangement and reduction. iii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. vi LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES. vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Rationale for the study.
Aims of the study and research questions .2 To achieve the aims of the study, the following research questions are proposed. Scope of the study. Significance of the study. Methodology of the study.
Design of the study .3 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Materials in teaching and learning. Definition of materials. Roles of materials.
Background information of ESP. Definition of ESP. Roles of ESP materials. Definition of materials evaluation.
Roles of materials evaluation. Types of materials evaluation. Criteria for materials evaluation. Previous researches on materials evaluation .19 iv LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.
Description of the context .27 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION. Results and discussion. Limitation of the study. Recommendations for further studies.
I v LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS VUC Vietnam University of Commerce CLT Communicative Language Teaching ESP English for Specific Purposes ELT English Language Teaching EMT English as a Mother Tongue ESL English as a Second Language EST English for Science and Technology EBE English for Business and Economics ESS English for Social Studies EGBP English for General Business Purposes ESBP English for Specific Business Purposes GE General English EFL English as a foreign language L2 Second Language MA Master of Arts CD Compact Disc SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences M Mean SD Standard Deviation No Number SD Strongly disagree D Disagree U Undecided A Agree SA Strongly agree vi LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES No Title Page Figure 2.1 The Materials Evaluation Model of Hutchinson and Waters 15 (1987: 98) Table 4.1 Summary of students’ evaluation of the coursebook 29 Table 4.2 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook aims and approach 29 Table 4.3 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook design and organization 30 Table 4.4 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook language content 31 Table 4.5 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook skills 32 Table 4.6 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook topics 33 Table 4.7 Students’ evaluation of the coursebook methodology 34 vii LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for the study One of the important factors leading to successful English acquisition is the suitable and effective coursebook, especially towards students of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The importance of coursebooks is affirmed by many scholars such as Hutchinson and Waters (1987), Brown (1995), Cunningsworth (1998) and Tomlinson (1998). The role of coursebooks is proved in the learning and teaching context of English Faculty, Vietnam University of Commerce (VUC).
In search for a variety of materials, the teachers at the English Faculty have chosen The Business as an official coursebook for the English major students to enhance both business knowledge and English skills. The set of books includes three levels from pre- intermediate up to upper-intermediate, and first-year students study pre-intermediate level. First-year students face many difficulties in learning such as choosing appropriate learning methods and ways of exploiting the coursebook. They have already spent a long time studying English at school, but their focuses are mostly grammar and reading to pass university entrance exams.
As one of the result of teacher-centered approach, many of them remain passive in class and have to struggle to improve other English skills such as speaking, listening and writing. Therefore, freshmen and their coursebook at VUC are of the researcher’s interest. Despite the fact that first-year students at VUC pass the university entrance exam, many of them cannot define what their target destinations, their wants and their lacks are. Hutchinson and Waters (1987:57) claim, “there is no necessary relationship between necessities as perceived by sponsors or ESP teachers and what the learners want or feel they need”.
Teachers may often choose a coursebook quickly on the basis of their observation and experience instead of taking students’ perspectives into consideration. Neglecting the students’ opinions might hinder them from learning and cause demotivation among students. Cunningsworth (1995:7) says, “the aims of the coursebook should correspond as closely as possible to the aims of the teacher, and both should seek to meet the needs of the learners to the highest degree”. The teachers are supposed to understand the aims of the 1 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com syllabus, and they know what their students need to achieve during the course.
They can judge and choose a coursebook by looking through it and getting its overview. It is not difficult for them to point out what the overall strengths and weaknesses of that coursebook are. However, defining any significant features, prominent weaknesses or considering what specific items should be adapted take time and efforts. That is why it is necessary to have an in-depth evaluation from students’ viewpoint.
After using the coursebook The business Pre-Intermediate, the researcher has taken the appropriateness of the coursebook into consideration and wondered if it fullfils VUC students’ expectations. Thus, this study aims at evaluating the coursebook The business Pre-Intermediate according to the students’ perspectives to find out what its strengths and weaknesses are and addressing some recommendations for effective coursebook usage. Aims of the study and research questions As already mentioned, the aim of this study is to evaluate the book The business Pre-Intermediate from students’ perspectives. Based on the findings, the study offers suggestions for further improvement of the coursebook to meet students’expectations.
To achieve the aims of the study, the following research questions are proposed. What are the strengths of the coursebook “The business Pre-Intermediate” from the perspectives of first-year students majoring in English at Vietnam University of Commerce? 2. What are the weaknesses of the coursebook “The business Pre-Intermediate” from the perspectives of first-year students majoring in English at Vietnam University of Commerce? 1. Scope of the study The coursebook is only for first-year students at Vietnam University of Commerce.
Thus the study just focuses on the evaluation of the first-year students majoring in English at Vietnam University of Commerce in the school year 2015-2016 on the coursebook The business Pre-Intermediate given by Karen Richardson, Marie Kavanagh and John Sydes with Paul Emmerson in 2003. 2 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail. Significance of the study The study has contributed to the field of materials evaluation. The theoretical background of the study can be helpful for teachers and textbook writers interested in materials evaluation in the future.
The results of the study are favourable for not only teachers but also first-year students who work with the coursebook during the academic year. At the same time, the results are the basis for coursebook adaptation and improvement, which is meaningful in teaching undergraduate students who want to have knowledge and ability to communicate in English in business contexts. Methodology of the study The research’s respondents are teachers and first-year students at the English Faculty, Vietnam University of Commerce. Specifically, 121 first-year students from three classes and three teachers working with these first-year students have been asked to take part in the research.
In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the researcher applies qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data are collected through questionnaires with students and interviews with teachers. The data obtained from the questionnaires have been analyzed using a computer software program called SPSS. The means and percentages of the responses have been generated via SPSS while the teachers’ answers in the interviews have been summarized and analyzed.
Design of the study The study is composed of three main parts: introduction, development and conclusion. The Introduction mentions reasons for choosing the topic of study, aims, research questions, scope, significance, methodology and organization of the study. The Development consists of three chapters. Chapter I Literature Review reviews some theories of basic concepts which are ESP, ESP materials, and materials evaluation.
In detail, it provides a brief overview of ESP, the role of ESP materials, the definition and reasons of materials evaluation. It also mentions types and criteria for materials evaluation.