A number of learner as well as teacher factors are listed when choosing a textbook (McGrath, 2004). Regarding to learner factors, he concentrates on factors such as range of age, proficiency level in the target language, reasons for studying the target language, sex distribution and so on. Following the learner factors is a list of learner needs, for example dialect, language-skill emphasis, language-system emphasis (grammar, vocabulary, phonology) and attention to mechanics (spelling, punctuation). As for the teacher factors, language competence, methodological competence, awareness, and experience of teaching are focused. According to Cuningsworth (1995), the language skills in ELT textbooks consist of the four main language skills in language learning. He points out six criteria for evaluating language skills in a textbook:
- Considering the stated aims and curriculum requirements, are all the language skills are emphasized adequately?
- Does the textbook include materials that integrate language skills?
- Are the reading passages and activities are appropriate to the
students‟ level, expectations?
- Is the number of reading materials adequate for students?
- Do the listening materials in the cassettes have high-quality recordings and are they authentic?
- Do the materials provide background information, questions, and activities in order to enhance students‟ comprehension?
Considering the presentation of grammatical issues in textbooks, the grammatical items are selected by taking into consideration the learner‟s language needs (Cunningsworth, 1995). The structural issues need to be presented in short units or modules to facilitate the language learning process.
Similarly, Williams (1983) suggests that the ESL textbook should offer meaningful situations and a variety of techniques for teaching structural units.
It is also essential to question whether the need is given to the language form or language use (meaning) and this will be followed by examining the balance between the structural and meaningful presentations. Additionally, grammar is considered as a bridge which should be constructed in such an organization considering the design of the exercises. Hence, this bridge also encourage the students to make clear the structures in context with the aim of performing both the structures and communicative meaning because one of the goals of teaching grammar is to help the language learners to make sure the learning from the form-focused accuracy to fluency.
On the other hand, relating to the presentation of vocabulary, the vocabulary load ought to be consistent with the intended level of the learners.
Therefore, defining the vocabulary items is necessary to achieve a systematical gradation. It is essential to question on which criteria the vocabulary items are selected (Celce-Murcia, 2001). Additionally, Ur (1999) proposes a list wherein the recommended things concerning the selection
process of the lexical units exists. She claims that definition of words which can be provided similar to the explanations in dictionaries is various. New words can also be performed by the utilization of explanations and pictures.
Furthermore, vocabularies are taught with the use of antonyms, synonyms and collocations or applying in a context such as sentences, paragraphs and texts.
Besides, Cunningsworth (1995) proposes the checklist for vocabulary in order to evaluate the lexical presentation in ELT materials:
- Is vocabulary learning material included on its own right? If so, how prominent is it? Is it central to the course or peripheral?
- How much vocabulary is taught?
- Is there any principled basis for the selection of vocabulary?
- Is there any distinction of between the active and passive vocabulary, or classroom vocabulary?
- Is vocabulary presented in a structured, purposeful way?
- Are learners sensitized to the structures of the lexicon through vocabulary learning exercises based on semantic relationships, formal relationships, collocations and situation-based word groups?
- Does the material enable students to expand their own vocabularies independently by helping them to develop their own learning strategies? (p.46)
The use of exercises also plays an important role in teaching and learning English. The importance of the selection procedures and criteria are considered as the principal types of activities and tasks consistent with a specific language program (Richards, 1990). The aim of textbook exercises is to help students improve their comprehension skills, achieve to test main ideas and the detailed aspects in the relevant material. Moreover, the utilization of exercises in significant contexts to provide authentic
communication, the exercises ought to be consistent with the students‟
background knowledge, experience and current situation (Graves, 2000);
(Celce-Murcia, 2001).
In teaching and learning English, the cultural issues in ELT textbooks can be problematical for students to acquire the unfamiliar input of target language culture. The EFL students have difficulties in acquiring cultural aspects because their own cultural norms may cause their obstacle in learning a foreign language. Hence, textbook plays an important role to help students accustom with the new values of L2 by presenting the familiar issues at the first stages of language learning. Besides, students‟ intercultural knowledge is evoked by making comparisons across different cultures in order to confront misunderstandings concerning the target language representations (Alptekin, 1993). According to Cunningsworth (1995) the familiarity of the characters, social and cultural context for effective language learning are also proposed.
Moreover, Sheldon (1988) considers the evaluation of cultural issues in ELT textbooks under the heading of „cultural bias‟ and the proposed criteria are as follows:
- Are different and appropriate religious and social environments catered for, both in terms of the topics/situations presented and of those left out?
- Are students‟ expectations in regard to content, methodology, and format successfully accommodated?
- If not, would the book be able to wean students away from their preconceived notions?
- Is the author‟s sense of humor or philosophy obvious or appropriate?
- Does the course book enshrine stereotyped, inaccurate, condescending or offensive images of gender, race, social class, or
nationality?
- Are accurate or „sanitized‟ views of the USA or Britain presented;
are uncomfortable social realities (e.g. unemployment, poverty, family breakdowns, racism) left out? (p.244).
In textbooks, the linguistic content is combined to the particular structural aspects of the language. Additionally, the thematic content suggests crucial contents and topic to reinforce the language instruction. In this study, the subject matter is concerned on the topics in the textbook. Despite the fact that the aim of designing language textbooks is to improve language learning, it cannot be taught as a single subject because language occurs under real situations in our lives (Cunningsworth, 1995). The topics have to be interesting, lively, amusing, and challenging for students. Moreover, the topics in the textbooks might reflect different features of real life by mentioning to authenticity; in addition, they would start interactions among students to acquire communicative skills as expressing opinions, draw conclusions and transferring those conclusions into other platforms (p.86). On the one hand, the topics of the units ought to be examined in order to determine whether the suggested topics are essential and the time devoted for the presentation of these topics is adequate. Additionally, the most necessary areas involves in preparing the materials the priority. Richards (2001) suggests that the reflected areas would be appropriate to the students‟
expectations in order to help them to attain the learning outcomes.