264 • Curriculum Development in Language Teaching
APPENDIX 1 ESL reading textbook evaluation checklist (from Miekley 2005)
Textbook Evaluation Checklist
Not Applicable
Totally Lacking
Let's go students
Mandatory
Excellent
Optional
book 1 4th edition
Good
Poor
I. Textbook
A. Content
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ii. Does the content serve as a window into learning about the target
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language culture (American, British, ect.)? (2,18)
iii. Are the reading selections authentic pieces of language? (5,10) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
iv. Compared to texts for native speakers, does the content contain
real-life issues that challenge the reader to think critically about 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
v. Are the text selections representative of the variety of literary genres, and do
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they contain multiple sentence structures? (1,13)
i. Are the grammar rules presented in a logical manner and in increasing
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ii. Are the new vocabulary words presented in a variety of ways (e.g.
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glosses, multi-glosses, appositives)? (2,3,12)
iii. Are the new vocabulary words presented at an appropriate rate so that
the text is understandable and so that students are able to retain new 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
vocabulary? (1,2,3,5)
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reinforce their meaning and use? (1,2,3,)
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C. Exercises and Activities
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use new vocabulary to communicate? (1,2,3,5)
ii. Do instructions in the textbook tell students to read for comprehension? (6) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
iii. Are top-down and bottom-up reading strategies used? (17) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
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v. Do the activities facilitate students’ use of grammar rules by creating
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situations in which these rules are needed? (1,2,3)
vi. Does the text make comprehension easier by addressing one new
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concept at a time instead of multiple new concepts? (2,3)
vii. Do the exercises promote critical thinking of the text? (2) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
D. Attractiveness of the Text and Physical Make-up
i. Is the cover of the book appealing? (1,2,3) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
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iii. Are the illustrations simple enough and close enough to the text that
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they add to its meaning rather than detracting from it? (1)
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10 Textbooks, technology, and the curriculum • 265
II Teacher’s Manual
A. General Features
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methodology of the text? (1,2,3)
ii. Are correct or suggested answers given for the exercises in the
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textbook? (1,2,3,4)
B. Background Information
i. Are teachers shown how to teach students to use cues from
morphology, cognates, rhetorical relationships, and context to assist 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
them in lexical inferencing? (7)
ii. Is there a list of true and false cognates for vocabulary words? (1,2,3) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
C. Methodological Guidance
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iii. Does the manual suggest a clear, concise method for teaching each
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lesson? (1,2,3)
D. Supplementary Exercises and Materials
i. Does the manual give instructions on how to incorporate audio-visual
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material produced for the textbook? (2)
ii. Does the manual provide teachers with exercises to practice, test, and
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review vocabulary words? (1,2,3)
iii. Does the manual provide additional exercises for reinforcing grammar
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points in the text? (1,2,3)
Ill. Context
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B. Is the textbook appropriate for the students who will be using it? (1,2)
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ii. Are the examples and explanations understandable? (1) 4 3 2 1 0 M O N
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iv. Will the content meet students’ felt needs for learning English or can it
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be adapted for this purpose? (2,3)
C. Are the textbook and teacher’s manual appropriate for the teacher who will be teaching from them? (1,2,4)
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manual? (1)
