An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

Introduction
Background to the Study
If there should ever be a brief appraisal that can essentially lay bare the nature of
the use of ELT textbooks, it would be the one put forward by Graves (2000, p. 174):
This text is written for everyone and this text is written for no one. In its essence,
Graves statement has identified a continuum that ELT textbook use can possibly take on.
At one extreme, textbooks can be brought to its full capacity, being able to cater for the
isolationist nature of TEFL (Sheldon, 1988, p. 240). Yet at the other, they can simply
fail to meet the needs of any individual teaching-learning situation nor the needs of the
individual within it (Hutchinson, 1994, p. 325). Much of the discussion associated with
the use of ELT textbooks, it appears, has been polarized across these two extremes,
consequently evoking a range of attitudes from textbook users, at best favor and at worst
hostility (Hutchinson, 1994, p. 316).
At its score, this paper is premised on the writers belief that ELT textbook, as a
teaching and learning tool, should be rooted for. Therefore, the target of maximizing the
use of textbook in a specific teaching-learning situation should be primarily aimed at. An
effective way to achieve this, among others, is to carry out a systematic evaluation of the
suitability and pedagogical value of the textbook in question. The process of such an
evaluation offers substantial benefits to teachers. At the decision-making stage, it enables
teachers to reach well-informed decisions through an analytical matching process:
matching needs to available solutions (Hutchinson & Waters, as cited in Sheldon, 1988,
p. 237). At the design stage, a textbook evaluation presents teachers with ample
alternatives based on which innovation and reformation in their teaching practice can be
brought about (Littlejohn, 1992, p. 5). Furthermore, as the type of evaluation a textbook
receives will also reflect the concern of the evaluator (Richard, 2001, p. 259), teachers,
upon trying to interpret the textbooks views and goals, are necessarily invited to make
explicit their own beliefs and purposes presumably embedded in their teaching

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

repertoires. Textbook evaluation, thus, is at its heart a process of discovery by which the
teachers, through the lens of their teaching practice and classroom circumstances, can
uncover and examine for themselves the maximum possible effects that a textbook has to
offer to a specific language learning program.
Purpose of the Study
Taking it on trust that a textbook evaluation is, in its own right, a useful activitity
and a substantial contribution to any language teaching procedures, this paper sets forth
to evaluate the future potential performance of one particular textbook, namely American
Headway 2 (AH2), in the context of a non-English major class in the Ho Chi Minh City
Open University. Resting on the position that materials only take value in context
(Nunan, 1991, p. 211), the evaluation focuses to appraise AH2 in terms of its potential
correspondence with and contribution to the particular situation in which it will be used.
Ultimately, the paper seeks to:
a) Identify the degree to which AH2 can match up with the aims and objectives of
the course.
b) Identify the implications that the use of AH2 may have for the given teachinglearning situation.
Organization of the Study
To this end, the discussion in the paper is organized in four main sections. The first
section briefly presents the studys background and purposes. The second section grounds
the textbook evaluation process with a critical review of existing evaluative instruments.
The third section presents the evaluation results. The final section draws a brief
conclusion and put forward some suggestions on how AH2 can be best used in the
teaching situation it is intended to serve.

Literature and Framework for Analysis

This section draws on some well-established evaluative frameworks for ELT
textbooks and attempts to examine them in light of (a) their objectives, (b) their ideas on

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

what constitutes an ideal textbook the criteria, and (c) their proposed methods and
procedures to evaluate textbooks. The common ground between the frameworks is first
established, then each framework is further investigated in reference to their own
contribution and what difference they can bring to the discussion of textbook evaluation
literature.
As production of new ELT textbooks has been on the increase, discussion on the
design of an evaluative means to look inside them is equally vigorously developed.
Whilst this plentiful supply of evaluative schemes supposedly suggests a growing
concern for the individuality of different teaching-learning situations, a close examination
on these frameworks reveals that a majority of them contain a number of similar general
criteria, implying in some way that there inherently exists on the back of our minds a
universal model of what constitute a good material, or what Chambers (1997, p. 29)
referred to as the Platonic ideal.
What most differentiates the frameworks, then, appears to be the degree of
emphasis placed on the criteria and the methods by which these criteria are constructed.
Cunningsworths (1995), for example, is a manageable, thoroughly developed forty-fiveitem checklist encompassing eight main criteria, aiming to provide a basic quickreference framework for evaluation. While emphasizing criteria such as content areas,
methodology and practical consideration, Cunningsworths checklist is less attentive to
issues that address learners interests, motivation and autonomy apparently considered
as desirable criteria in many other checklists of the same time (Breen and Candlin, 1987;
McDonough and Shaw, 1993; Rubdy, 2003). In regard to the method of evaluation,
Cunningsworths model, though simple and straightforward, seems not to be structured to
facilitate the dissection of what underlying values the textbook itself can possibly offer.
Tomlinson (2003, p. 17) perceives this limitation of Cunningsworths checklist as caused
by the mixing of analysis questions with evaluation questions, echoing the view of
Littlejohn (1998) and Sheldon (1988) that such a discursive format can hinder the
process of an in-depth analysis necessary for textbooks to speak for themselves.
Cunningworths framework, thus, might operate effectively if the primary concern is to

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

analyze the textbook at a straightforward surface level (Rubdy, 2003, p. 46); for the
purpose of searching for what essentially lay behind it, however, the checklists may fall
short of being an appropriate choice.
Bringing to the fore the need to separate description, guidance and criticism (p.
241), Sheldons framework aims to serve as an evaluative tool not only for published
coursebooks, but also for teacher-produced materials. Covering a total of 17 criteria with
53 questions, Sheldons checklist, upon the first encounter, appears to be quite
cumbersome compared to Cunningsworths. The method of evaluation, however, is welldirected to inviting for more evaluative stance from the part of evaluators, extending
details of the questions enough to the point that such questions can only be settled
through a deep critical probe into the embedded philosophy and principles of the
textbook in question. Another merit the checklist offers is its discernable emphasis on the
pedagogical implications a textbook can have for specific learning program, a
consideration upon which Cunningsworths checklist appears to inadedquately draw.
Though it can substantially benefit from a clearer, less abstract explanation for some
criteria listed (is it pitched at the right level of maturity and language, does the
introduction of new linguistic items seem to shallow/ steep enough for your students),
Sheldons checklist as a whole is extensive in its coverage of what features analysts
should examine in a textbook and elaborate in its technique for eliciting their position
towards such features.
Particulary aiming to look for the underlying thinking of materials, Littlejohns
framework proposed certain further aspects to be taken into account, most notably the
nature of teachers-learners roles suggested by the materials (1998, p. 184). Compared to
Sheldons checklist in terms of the consideration given to the textbook underspinnings,
Littlejohns offers more various guidance on how to uncover the relationship between the
means and the ends realized in the textbook itself, making this inference process
completely explicit to evaluators consciousness with the use of a three-level
investigation (What is there, What is required of users and What is implied).
Essentially, what makes Littlejohns checklist different from, if not superior to, other

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

established frameworks is its emphasis on drawing the line where objective judgement,
reporting, stops and where subjective judgement, interpreting, begins. By
highlighting this line, Littlejohn particularly asks teacher-analysts to become more
concious of, presumably also to be more responsible in, making their evaluation: for the
explicit nature of the materials, little is asked of teachers in terms of the inference
involvement; yet, for the account of the implicit nature, teachers are expected to
operate the analysis at a necessarily higher level of deduction. In this way, Littlejohns
proposed framework outshines the others, offering not simply a tool that helps teachers to
evaluate, but also a tool that helps teachers to learn how to evaluate.
Having examined three common checklists proposed to aid teacher-analysts in
evaluating materials, the current study decides to use Littlejohns as the conceptual
framework within which the analysis on AH2 can be carried out. Certain modifcation
with reference to the given situations requirements will be made, the detailed discussion
of which can be found in the next section.
Analysis of the Coursebook
This section first provides a brief analysis of the information most pertinent to the
teaching-learning situation in which AH2 will be used. The analysis is carried out using a
modification of the model suggested by Richard (2001, p. 256). The analysis of the
coursebook will then pursue, using the modified framework by Littlejohn mentioned
above.

Analysis of the teaching-learning situation

Before the evaluation can be made, a description of the basic information (see
Figure 2) regarding the teaching situation will be given, aiming to account for the
following issues: the objectives of the program, the role of the textbook in the program,
the teachers in the program, and the learners in the program. This description of
information will play a central role in the analysis of the textbook at hand. Information
will be drawn on two types of source: (a) the specification of the syllabus given to the

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

teacher before the course begins and (b) the teachers experience in working in a
somewhat similar teaching situation.1

General English 1 is designed to provide basic users (A2) with a general capacity

program

that prepares them for the demands of the real-world interaction.

Emphasis is placed primarily on developing students communicative competence
All the four skills need to be integratedly developed.
Grammar and vocabulary are the secondary concern.

The role of the

The coursebook basically serves as the realization of a pre-determined program

the program

syllabus
The coursebook is the core and the only book used in the program.

The teacher in
the program

The teacher has gained certain understanding of the learners

The teacher tends to use the coursebook in a flexible, creative fashion
The teacher has all the freedom needed to adapt and supplement the coursebook

The learners

All the learners are provided (by the program) with the photocopies of the student

book and the workbook

A majority of the learners tend to heavily depend on the coursebook
The coursebook exerts a kind of washback effect on a majority of the learners

The objectives
of the

coursebook in

in the
program

Table 1. Analysis of the teaching-learning situation

Analysis of the coursebook
Level 1: What is there?
The first level of the analysis, primarily concerned with the explicit nature of the
material, includes two parts: part A perceives the book as a whole and part B takes a
snapshot impression by giving an overview of a certain extract, in this case Unit 11.
Part A
American Headway 2 is a general English textbook intended for learners at preintermediate (A2) level. The AH2 package includes students book, workbook, audio
CDs, teachers guide and supplementary book. The students book is made up of 12
chapters; each of which revolves around a particular theme and is structured into two
1Theteacherhadworkedwiththissamegroupofstudentforonesemester.Adifferenttextbook
wasusedfortheprevioussemesterwhileforthissemester,AH2isthechoice.

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

main sections: 1/ Language Input (Grammar, Vocabulary and Everyday English) and 2/
Skills Development (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing). A set of learning
objectives (related to the three subsections Grammar, Vocabulary and Everyday English)
accompanies each chapter and the 12 chapters are complemented by 4 instructional
resources (Writing, Audio Scripts, Grammar Reference, Pairwork Activities, Extra
Materials and Word List).
Part B
Grammar

1. Discussion; 2. Reading; 3. Grammar spot (1); 4. Grammar discussion and

practice (1); 5. Listening; 6. Grammar spot (2); 7. Grammar discussion and
practice (2); 8. Listening and Speaking; 9. Writing (refer to the Writing
section at the end of the book); 10. Reading and Speaking

Vocabulary

1. Vocabulary and Speaking; 2. Exercise; 3. Talking about you

Everyday

1. Exercise; 2. Speaking

English

Table 2. Sequence of activity of Unit 11

Level 2 & Level 3: What is required of users and What is implied?

These levels of anlysis focus on the description and evaluation of the demands
which the materials, particulary the tasks, place on the teachers and learners. The analysis
consists of three aspects of process: (1) What is the learner expected to do?; (2) With
whom and (3) With what content?
1. WHAT IS THE LEARNER EXPECTED TO DO?
a. Turn-take
Frequency

Percentage

Initiate

54%

Respond

45%

Not quired

0%

Total

11

100%

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

b. FTable 3. Frequency and percentage of turn take

The description shows a rather equal distribution of tasks that require the learners
to initiate (54%) and tasks that require the learners to respond (45%). While this might
signify a good chance, particularly for learners who are not always willing to participate
in class, to be required to actively engage, a closer look at the Initiate tasks indicates that
some of them are not interesting and stimulating enough to encourage students to ask
questions about or make comments on the subject matters (world population, volcanoes).
Thus, different questions or requirements on the same topic yet structured with more cues
for critical reflection can be helpful to maintain the intended purpose of the textbook to
balance the need for students to initiate and to respond.

b. Focus
Frequency

Percentage

Language system

54%

Meaning

27%

Meaning-system relationship

18%

Total

11

100%

c. Mental Table 4. Frequency and percentage of Focus

Result of the task analysis in this part shows that activities which focus on the
form account for about half of the total proportion. This, while apparently aligns with the
fact that Grammar is given a prominent role in AH2 as it can be identified in a separate
section in the first column following the topic column in the syllabus, also indicates an

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

emphasis on the instruction of grammar as form-oriented. While English major students

might arguably benefit from this approach, non-English major students might not see the
direct relationship between what the textbook offers and what they know, supposedly,
they need; in this case, the competence to communicative effectively in the real world.
c. Operation
Frequency

Percentage

Repeat selectively

9%

Repeat with expansion

2%

Retrieve from STM

0%

Retrieve from ITM

11%

Select information

11%

Hypotheses

2%

Analyse language form

2%

Formulate language rule

2%

Apply stated language rule

11%

Negotiate

0%

Review own FL output

6%

Total

26

100%

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

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Table 5. Frequency and percentage of Operation

Result in the analysis of this part shows that tasks which involve general academic
study skills (analyzing, hypothesizing, negotiating, evaluating) account for only a small
percentage of the total proportion. For the fact that AH2 claims to be the world most
trusted adult English course, this inadequacy to cater for high level skills necessary for
language development (Tomlinson 2008, p. 6) seems to be problematic. Part of this, as
Tomlinson also explains, is due to the position held by most textbook writers that low
level of language ability is necessarily associated with low level of critical thinking. My
teaching experience would tell that this is not always the case. Thus, students in this
particular class, who apparently are keen on tasks that require high critical awareness, can
benefit more from some changes related to the mental operation aspect in the textbook.

2. WHO WITH?

Teacher and learners, whole

class observing
Learners to the whole class
Learners with whole class
simultaneously
Learners invididually
simultaneously
Learners in pairs/ groups/
class observing
Learners in pairs/ groups,
simultanously

Frequency

Percentage

25%

6%

0%

37%

18%

16

100%

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

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Table 6. Frequency and percentage of Who with

As Table 6 shows, about 40% of the tasks in Unit 11 requires students to work
individually. This, as compared to the only 18% of the tasks that invole group or pair
working, is worth concerning, given that (a) the lack of opportunities to interact can
obviously hinder the process of communication development and (b) some students
might work best on their own whilst some can only learn by working, either mentally or
actively, in a group/ pair. A closer examination at the tasks that require individual work
also indicates that most of these tasks are structured for the purpose of instructing and
practing grammar, which in turn implies a passive and rather tepid way by which the
textbook has chosen to deal with grammar. Tasks for the purpose of skills development,
on the other hand, appear to require a lot pair/ group work, which is appropriate for the
practice of communication competence. These tasks, however, can benefit more if they
are to be designed with different assignments for different students in the group.
WITH WHAT CONTENT?
a. Source
Frequency

Percentage

Materials

10

50%

Teacher

25%

Learners

25%

Total

45

100%

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

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Table 7. Frequency and percentage of Source

The result demonstrates little proportion of tasks which ask the learners to draw
on their own experience and knowledge, either cultural or linguistic, to contribute to the
construction of the content. While it can be argued, though it would not be a persuasive
argument, that at this level, asking the students to share their own experience and to
present themselves as a kind of language source necessary in the learning process would
be too challenging to them, more source of cultural content can actually be drawn on the
students. The same treatment can be applied to teachers. If the teacher is to believe that
the personalization process would be necessary to facilitate language development, he/
she, upon using this textbook, should try to make full use of his/her own experience as
well as the students experience from outside the class.
b. Nature
Frequency

Percentage

Metalinguistic comment

57%

Linguistic item

0%

Non-fiction

28%

Fiction

0%

Personal information/ opinion

14%

Total

100%

Table 8. Frequency and percentage of Nature

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

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The result shows that about half of the types of content of the tasks in Unit 11 are
metalinguistic comment. This again indicates the prominent role of grammar in the
textbook and also the prefered approach of dealing with grammar in a same manner (both
the two grammar focuses in this Unit are dealt with in the same way). Though the
integration of skills into the instruction and practice of grammar admittedly helps learners
to get a chance to perceive the language learning process as a whole, this integration can
be more balanced, as intended by the textbook, should the instruction of Grammar is
made more varied and skills delopment should be made to more revolve around
Vocabulary or Everyday Use.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The degree to which AH2 can match up with the aims and objectives of the course.
As a whole, AH2 can fit into this program to a certain extent. At its best, AH2 is able to
help learners to perceive and experience language as a whole, which is quite necessary
for the development of general language learning. However, meaning the essenssial
concern of communicative language teaching apparently is not dealt with effectively in
AH2. The pedagogical values that AH2 can offer concerning the development of
communicative competence, thus, can not be as expected.
The implications that the use of AH2 may have for the given teaching-learning
situation. The use of AH2 in this particular teaching-learning situation needs to
compensate for the abovementioned void. At the decision-making stage, this means that
the teacher can choose to reassign the focus when using the textbook so as to be
consistent the course overall objectives. At the design stage, the teacher can adapt or
develop new tasks so as to have more skills and vocabulary integration. Tasks and
activities that involve more critical awareness and personalization are also needed.

An In-depth Evaluation of American Headway 2 (2nd Edition)

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