International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848

p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

Selecting and Analyzing Course Books

Abulkasimova Nodira Mirzakarimovna
Teacher, Uzbek State World Languages University
Abstract: This article is dedicated using the book especially if they have
to analyses of course book, choosing bought it themselves. One more
course book by teachers and reasons for
alternative is replacing some lessons of
course book use. Teacher’s opening
course book should come to conclusion the course book with others. And there
whether they will use this unit with his are some reasons to it: our own material
students or not. Is the language
maybe is more interesting and more
appropriate for the level of the group?
Are the topics suitable for leaners? Does appropriate for our students. However,
the book have right activities? If the the same problem as with omitting may
course book is good, the language,
occur when too many lessons are
content and sequencing in the book will
be suitable, and that the topics and replaced. The third alternative is to add
treatment of the different language skills something to what is already in the book.
will be attractive. In case of rather boring lesson the teacher
Key words: course book, activity,
content, level, teacher’s guide, Price and may want to add activities and. The final
availability. version is to adapt what is given in the
book.
According to four alternatives we Using course books creatively is one
may decide whether course book is of the teacher’s premier skills. The way
appropriate or not. First of all, we may in which we get students to look at
omit the lesson or part of the lesson. That reading texts, do exercises or solve
solves the problem and gives us chance to puzzles in the book is extremely
deal with something else. Omitting important. If they do so before we give
lessons from course books is not big our instructions, they often don’t
problem. On the other hand, omitting too concentrate on what we have to say.1
many pages may bring to the problem
that students start to wonder why they are
1
Harmer, Jeremy. The Рractice of English Language
Teaching (3rd ed.). Essex: Рearson Education. 2001
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 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

Some teachers don’t have good in most cases students really like course
opinion about course book. They consider books.
them as boring and often inappropriate It gives them the chance to look
for the class in front of them. Such people forward and back, preparing for what’s
prefer to rely on their own ideas, coming and revise what they have done
reference books, pages from magazines, already.
ideas from the students themselves and a However, there is the ever-present
variety of other sources. danger that both teacher and students will
Other teachers think that course get locked into the book, using its content
book is one of the vital things in teaching. as the only material which is taken into
For them, course books provide good the classroom, and always teaching and
teaching material which is attractively learning only in the way the book
presented. The course book has a suggests. In such circumstances, the book
consistent syllabus and provides good may become like a millstone around the
vocabulary exposure and practice, necks of all concerned, endangering the
pronunciation work and wide range of engagement which a student-centered
writing tasks. In good course books there classroom might otherwise create. As a
is a range of reading and listening result, some teachers take the decision to
material and workbooks. It takes less time do without course books altogether, a
to prepare a good course book lesson than decision which may well be of benefit to
to start from the beginning each time and their students if, and only if, they have
prepare brand new material; however, the experience and time to provide a
many teachers do not have enough time consistent program of work on their own,
to prepare and plan as much as they and if they have a bank of materials to
would like to. All course books provide back up their ‘no-course book’ decision.2
with teacher’s guide to help teachers with
2
Harmer, Jeremy. The Рractice of English Language
procedure and give them extra ideas. And Teaching (3rd ed.). Essex: Рearson Education. 2001
Available online: https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ P a g e | 28
 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

Teachers should see course books as course book match up to it. Alternatively,
proposals for action, not as instructions we can make up a checklist.
for action. In other words, we can look at Before making our final choice, we
the possibilities the course book offers us will want to consult colleagues, and
and then decide between the options for indeed anyone who has an opinion about
course book use. If teachers and students the book(s) in question. We need to be
approach course books in that light, and aware, of course, of their differing
use them according to the criteria we teaching situations or competing
suggested above, they will have a much publisher, author or methodology
more beneficial effect than if they are loyalties, but it is always worth listening
followed slavishly. However, good to what other people have to say.
course book comes to life when it is used Finally, it is a good idea to give our
by students and teachers, and it is they, students a chance to choose out of given
not the book, who should determine variants, which they consider as the most
exactly how and when the material is appropriate. They may not make our
used. decision for us, but their opinion can help
Teachers have to decide what books us come to a final decision.
to use. How should them come to one If we talk about advantages of
conclusion whether one book is better course book, there are plenty of them
and more appropriate than another? which were presented by Penny Ur3:
First of all we should analyze both - A course book provides a clear
books. It can be done with the help of framework. Teacher and leaners know
looking through some interesting areas: where they are going and what is coming
layout and design, methodology, topics, next, so there is a sense of structure and
etc.; we can write a description of our progress.
ideal course book and see does selected
3
Ur Penny. A Course in Language Teaching.
−Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996
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 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

- In many places the course book progress autonomously. However,

serves as a syllabus. If it is followed without course book the leaner is teacher
systematically, a carefully planned and dependent.4
balanced selection of language content We would like to present you
will be covered. possible course book analysis checklist
- The course book provides texts and which was proposed by Jeremy Harmer:
learning tasks which are likely to be of an Price and availability: How much
appropriate level for most of the class. does the course book cost? Will students
This of course saves time for the teacher have to
who would otherwise have to prepare his buy any extra material (workbook,
or her own. etc.)? Are all the components (course
- A book is the cheapest way of book, workbook, teacher’s guide, audio,
providing learning material for each etc.) available? What about other levels?
leaner. Alternatives, such as kits, sets of Is this good value for money? How much
photocopied papers or computer software, does the whole package (with all the
are likely to be more expensive relative to components) cost?
the amount of material provided. Add-ons and extras: Apart from a
- A book is a convenient package. It workbook, what other extras are offered
is a bound, so that its components stick with the course? Are there Internet sites
together and stay in order. It is light and with extra material (exercises, texts, etc.),
small enough to carry around easily. or with ‘meeting places’ for users? What
- For teachers who are inexperienced else does the publisher offer to support
and occasionally unsure of their the course? What value should we place
knowledge of language, the course book on the extras that are available?
can provide useful guidance and support.
- The leaner can use material to 4
Ur Penny. A Course in Language Teaching.
−Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996
learn new material and monitor his
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 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

Layout and design: Is the book Language skills: Does the course
attractive? Is its design appropriate for book have the appropriate balance of
the students, and the teacher? Does the skills? Is the skills work really designed
design of the book make it easy to to promote the skills (e.g. writing-for-
follow? writing, not writing-for-learning)? Are
Instructions: Are the instructions there possibilities for both study and
clear and unambiguous? Are they written activation in the skills areas? Are the
in language that the students will skills activities likely to engage students?
understand? Can the course book be used Topics: Does the book contain a
by students working on their own, or is a variety of topics? On balance, are the
teacher necessary to show them how to topics appropriate for the kind of students
use it? who will be using the course book? Are
Methodology: What kind of the topics likely to engage the students?
teaching and learning does the course Cultural appropriacy: Is the
book promote? Is there a good balance material appropriate for the cultural
between study and activation? How do situation that the
the authors appear to think that people students are in? Do the texts contain
learn languages and do we agree with culturally insensitive material? Are the
them? activities appropriate for the learning
Syllabus: Is the syllabus appropriate culture? Is the course book unprejudiced
for our students? Does it cover the in the way it deals with different customs,
language areas (grammar, vocabulary, ethnicities, races and sexes?
functions, pronunciation, etc.) that we Teacher’s guide: Does the course
would expect? Do we and our students book have an accompanying teacher’s
like the sequencing of language and guide? Is it easy to use? Does it explain
topics, etc.? Does the course book build things clearly? Does it offer alternatives
in a feeling of progress? to the course book activities? Does it
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 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

have all the answers that teachers and just can change the interaction pattern.
students need? Does it provide One more strategy is changing the level
differentiated activities for fast and slow of material as the texts or tasks are too
learners? easy or too difficult. This problem can be
At the beginning of our article we solved by making tasks more or less
mentioned that one of four alternatives challenging. One more strategy is
when the given material in course book is reordering material when the activities in
not suitable is to adapt. There are a the units in the book always the same
number of ways to adapt material that is sequence. Here we can change the order
not suitable for a particular teaching of the material used.
situation. Here are some ideas: we can We talked a lot about advantages of
extend the given material when the task course book. However, there is a range of
or exercise is too short and the learners disadvantages also. We would like to
need more practice. In such situation we present the list of disadvantages given by
can write extra items, following the same Penny Ur:
pattern. Sometimes we have to short - Inadequacy. Every class- in fact,
material when the task or exercise is too every leaner- has their learning needs:
long and the learners don't need so much no one course book can possibly supply
in practice. The solution to such problem these satisfactorily.
is using as much as you need, but not - Irrelevance, lack of interest. The
feeling that it was already used or giving topics dealt with in the course book may
different parts of the text or task to not necessarily be relevant or interesting
different leaners. Despite of these, the for your class
methodology of the course book can be - Limitation. A course book is
changed when the given tasks are not confining: its set structure and sequence
suitable for learners’ learning styles or may inhibit a teacher’s initiative and
one and the same task is repeated. We
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 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Available at Volume 06 Issue 06
https://journals.pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ May 2019

creativity, and lead to boredom and lack book which was chosen correctly,
of motivation on the part of the leaners. according to the criteria will be more
- Homogeneity. Course books have beneficial than the blindly chosen one.
their own rationale and chosen teaching References:
and learning approach. They do not [1]. Harmer, Jeremy. The Рractice of
usually cater for the variety of levels of English Language Teaching (3rd ed.).
Essex: Рearson Education. 2001
ability and knowledge, or of learning
[2]. Ur Penny. A Course in Language
styles and strategies that exist in most Teaching. −Cambridge: Cambridge
classes University Press, 1996

- Over- easiness. Teachers find it too

easy to follow the course book
uncritically instead of using their
initiative; they may find themselves
functioning merely as mediators of its
content instead of as teachers in their
own right.
In conclusion, we would like to say
that even if any course book has a list of
advantages as framework, syllabus,
ready- made texts and tasks, economy of
time, convenience, guidance for
inexperienced teacher, leaner’s autonomy
and etc. it has the long list of drawbacks.
For example, sometimes it is irrelevant
and lack of interest; limitation of the
teacher and there can be over easiness.
Although, it is considered that the course
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