Newly-published English course books under microscope: An exploration of teachers’ views about the Prospect series

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic information of the teachers participating in the study

Partici pants	Gender		Education level			Teaching Experience			Total
	Female	Male	B.A	M.A.	Ph.D.	1–10	11–20	21–30
Survey	27	42	48	19	2	32	24	13	69
Inter view	2	9	7	3	1	3	8	-	11

Table 2. Demographic information of the students participating in the interviews

Partici pants	Gender		Education level			Teaching Experi ence	Interview Date
	Female	Male	B.A	M.A.	Ph.D.
Ahmad		*			*	16	7/2/2018
Alireza		*		*		12	7/2/2018
Farzad		*	*			13	7/15/2018
Massomeh	*		*			12	8/20/2018
Davood		*	*			8	8/4/2018
Hossein		*	*			18	8/16/2018
Abbas		*		*		4	8/23/2018
Mahdi		*	*			17	8/3/2018
Zahra	*		*			11	8/9/2018
Reza		*		*		5	9/2/2018
Moham mad		*	*			14	9/2/2018

Table 3. Reliability of the questionnaire

Cronbach’s Alpha	N of Items
.804	40

Table 4. Inter-coder Cronbach’s kappa of teachers’ interviews

		Value	Asymptotic Standardized Error^a	Approximate T^b	Approximate Significance
Measure of Agreement	Kappa	.640	.092	6.509	.000
N of Valid Cases		55

Table 5. Descriptive statistics of teachers ‘opinions about the Prospect series

Questions	N	Mini.	Max.	Mean
1. The price of the textbook is reasonable.	69	1	4	1.97*
2. The textbook is easily accessible.	69	1	5	1.75*
13. The materials objectives are apparent to both the teacher and student.	69	1	5	4.16*
14. The textbook provides a balance of activities	69	1	5	4.14*
25. The practice of individual skills is integrated into the practice of other skills.	69	1	5	4.28*
26. The language used in the textbook is authentic—i.e. like real-life English.	69	1	5	4.22*
28. The progression of grammar points and vocabulary items is appropriate.	69	2	5	4.43*
32. The subject and content of the textbook are relevant to my students’ needs as an English language learner(s).	69	1	5	4.06*
33. The subject and content of the textbook are generally realistic.	69	1	5	4.14*
36. The materials are not culturally biased and they do not portray any negative stereotypes.	69	1	5	4.17*
40. I would choose to teach this textbook again.	69	1	5	4.19*
Valid N	69

Table 6. Frequency of the teachers’ chosen items

Quest ions	Strongly Agree		Agree		Uncertain		Disagree		Strongly Disagree
	F	%	F	%	F	%	F	%	F	%
1	18	26%	37	54%	12	17%	2	6%	0	0%
2	26	37%	38	55%	2	2%	3	3%	1	1%
13	0	0%	5	7%	8	12%	27	39%	29	42%
14	0	0%	5	7%	7	10%	30	44%	27	39%
25	0	0%	1	1%	10	15%	27	39%	31	45%
26	0	0%	4	6%	8	12%	26	37%	31	45%
28	0	0%	1	1%	6	9%	24	35%	38	55%
32	1	2%	9	14%	11	15%	22	33%	26	35%
33	0	0%	6	9%	7	10%	27	39%	29	42%
36	0	0%	7	10%	6	9%	24	35%	32	46%
40	1	1%	8	12%	7	10%	14	20%	39	57%

Figure 1. Integrated activities in the Prospect series

Figure 2. Conversation of lesson 1, Prospect 1

Table

	(SA)	(A)	(U)	(D)	(SD)
1. The price of the textbook is reasonable.
2. The textbook is easily accessible.
3. The textbook is a recent publication.
4. A teacher’s guide, workbook, and audio-tapes accompany the textbook.
5. The author’s views on language and methodology are comparable to mine.
6. The textbook includes a detailed overview of the functions, structures and vocabulary that will be taught in each unit.
7. The layout and design is appropriate and clear.
8. The textbook is organized effectively.
9. An adequate vocabulary list or glossary is included.
10. Adequate review sections and exercises are included.
11. An adequate set of evaluation quizzes or testing suggestions is included.
12. The teacher’s book contains guidance about how the textbook can be used to the utmost advantage.
13. The materials objectives are apparent to both the teacher and student.
14. The textbook provides a balance of activities
15. The activities encourage sufficient communicative and meaningful practice.
16. The activities incorporate individual, pair and group work.
17. The grammar points and vocabulary items are introduced in motivating and realistic contexts.
18. The activities promote creative, original and independent responses.
19. The tasks are conducive to the internalization of newly introduced language.
20. The textbook’s activities can be modified or supplemented easily.
21. The materials include and focus on the skills that my students need to practice.
22. The materials provide an appropriate balance of the four language skills.
23. The textbook pays attention to sub-skills—i.e. listening for gist, note-taking, skimming for information, etc.
24. The textbook highlights and practices natural pronunciation (i.e.—stress and intonation).
25. The practice of individual skills is integrated into the practice of other skills.
26. The language used in the textbook is authentic—i.e. like real-life English.
27. The language used is at the right level for my students’ current English ability.
28. The progression of grammar points and vocabulary items is appropriate.
29. The grammar points are presented with brief and easy examples and explanations.
30. The language functions exemplify English that my students will be likely to use.
31. The language represents a diverse range of registers and accents.
32. The subject and content of the textbook are relevant to my students’ needs as an English language learner(s).
33. The subject and content of the textbook are generally realistic.
34. The subject and content of the textbook are interesting, challenging and motivation
35. There is sufficient variety in the subject and content of the textbook.
36. The materials are not culturally biased and they do not portray any negative stereotypes.
37. The textbook is appropriate for the language-learning aims of my institution.
38. The textbook is suitable for small-medium, homogeneous, co-ed. Classes of university students.
39. The textbook raises my students’ interest in further English language study.
40. I would choose to teach this textbook again.

Table C1. Descriptive statistics of teachers’ opinions about the Prospect series

Questions	N		Mini.	Max.	Mean
1. The price of the textbook is reasonable.	69		1	4		1.86*
2. The textbook is easily accessible.	69	1		5		1.75*
3. The textbook is a recent publication.	69	1		5		2.84
4. A teacher’s guide, workbook, and audio-tapes accompany the textbook.	69	1		4		2.65
5. The author’s views on language and methodology are comparable to mine.	69	1		5		3.88
6. The textbook includes a detailed overview of the functions, structures and vocabulary that will be taught in each unit.	69	1		5		3.84
7. The layout and design is appropriate and clear.	69	1		5		3.75
8. The textbook is organized effectively.	69	1		5		3.86
9. An adequate vocabulary list or glossary is included.	69	1		5		3.52
10. Adequate review sections and exercises are included.	69	1		5		3.59
11. An adequate set of evaluation quizzes or testing suggestions is included.	69	1		5		3.84
12. The teacher’s book contains guidance about how the textbook can be used to the utmost advantage.	69	2		5		3.88
13. The materials objectives are apparent to both the teacher and student.	69	1		5		4.16*
14. The textbook provides a balance of activities	69	1		5		4.14*
15. The activities encourage sufficient communicative and meaningful practice.	69	1		5		3.68
16. The activities incorporate individual, pair and group work.	69	2		5		3.59
17. The grammar points and vocabulary items are introduced in motivating and realistic contexts.	69	1		5		3.81
18. The activities promote creative, original and independent responses.	69	1		5		3.71
19. The tasks are conducive to the internalization of newly introduced language.	69	1		5		3.86
20. The textbook’s activities can be modified or supplemented easily.	69	1		5		3.81
21. The materials include and focus on the skills that my students need to practice.	69	1		5		3.78
22. The materials provide an appropriate balance of the four language skills.	69	1		5		3.68
23. The textbook pays attention to sub-skills—i.e. listening for gist, note-taking, skimming for information, etc.	69	2		5		3.74
24. The textbook highlights and practices natural pronunciation (i.e.—stress and intonation).	69	1		5		3.72
25. The practice of individual skills is integrated into the practice of other skills.	69	1		5		4.28*
26. The language used in the textbook is authentic—i.e. like real-life English.	69	1		5		4.22*
27. The language used is at the right level for my students’ current English ability.	69	1		5		3.70
28. The progression of grammar points and vocabulary items is appropriate.	69	2		5		4.43*
29. The grammar points are presented with brief and easy examples and explanations.	69	1		5		3.75
30. The language functions exemplify English that my students will be likely to use.	69	1		5		3.70
31. The language represents a diverse range of registers and accents.	69	1		5		3.91
32. The subject and content of the textbook are relevant to my students’ needs as an English language learner(s).	69	1		5		4.06*
33. The subject and content of the textbook are generally realistic.	69	1		5		4.14*
34. The subject and content of the textbook are interesting, challenging and motivation	69	1		5		3.78
35. There is sufficient variety in the subject and content of the textbook.	69	1		5		3.59
36. The materials are not culturally biased and they do not portray any negative stereotypes.	69	1		5		4.17*
37. The textbook is appropriate for the language-learning aims of my institution.	69	1		5		3.97
38. The textbook is suitable for small-medium, homogeneous, co-ed. Classes of university students.	69	1		5		3.94
39. The textbook raises my students’ interest in further English language study.	69	1		5		3.81
40. I would choose to teach this textbook again.	69	1		5		4.19*
Valid N (listwise)	69