Adapting English 10 textbook for students at Viet Duc Upper Seconday school - a case study = Đánh giá và hiệu đính sách giáo khoa tiếng Anh lớp 10 cho học sinh

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VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES



LƯU THỊ THÚY


ADAPTING ENGLISH 10 TEXTBOOK FOR STUDENTS
AT VIET DUC UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL – A CASE STUDY

ĐÁNH GIÁ VÀ HIỆU ĐÍNH SÁCH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH LỚP 10
CHO HỌC SINH TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG VIỆT ĐỨC –
ĐIỂN CỨU



M.A MINOR THESIS


Field: English Methodology
Code: 60.14.10

Ha Noi, 2010


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VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES


LƯU THỊ THÚY


ADAPTING ENGLISH 10 TEXTBOOK FOR STUDENTS
AT VIET DUC UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL – A CASE STUDY

ĐÁNH GIÁ VÀ HIỆU ĐÍNH SÁCH GIÁO KHOA TIẾNG ANH LỚP 10
CHO HỌC SINH TRƯỜNG TRUNG HỌC PHỔ THÔNG VIỆT ĐỨC
ĐIỂN CỨU


M.A MINOR THESIS


Field: English Methodology
Code: 60.14.10
Supervisor: Dr. Đỗ Tuấn Minh

Ha Noi, 2010



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TABLE OF CONTENT

LIST OF ABBREVIATION 4
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Error! Bookmark not defined.
PART I: INTRODUCTION Error! Bookmark not defined.
1. Rationale for choosing the topic Error! Bookmark not defined.
2. Aims and objectives Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Scope of research Error! Bookmark not defined.
4. Significance of the assignment Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Design of the study Error! Bookmark not defined.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1. Teaching materials in ELT/ESL classrooms Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2. Textbooks adaptation Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.1. Definitions Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.2. The purposes of adaptation Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.3. Adaptation techniques Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.4. Classifications of adaptation Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.4.1. Adding Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.2.4.2. Rewriting Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.4.3. Deleting or omitting Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.4.4. Simplifying Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2.4.5. Re-ordering Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3. The statement of the problems Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3.1. Teachers' background Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3.2. Students' background Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1. Research design Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2. Characteristics of the case study Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3. Methodology Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3.1. Textbook analysis Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3.2. Survey questionnaire Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3.3. Informal interviews Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4. The participants Error! Bookmark not defined.


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2.4.1. The teachers Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4.2. The students Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5. Data collection Procedures Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1. Textbook analysis of English 10 Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.1. Overview of the national curriculum and course objectivesError! Bookmark
not defined.
3.1.2. The course methodology Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1.3. The course content Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2. Teacher survey Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2.1. The appropriateness of the textbook with the objectivesError! Bookmark
not defined.

3.3.2. The suitability of the textbook to the content prescribed by MoETError!
Bookmark not defined.
3.3.4. Student survey Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.3.5. Suggestions Error! Bookmark not defined.
PART III: CONCLUSION Error! Bookmark not defined.























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LIST OF ABBREVIATION

Upper secondary : US
Lower secondary : LS
School year : SY
Ss : Student(s)
National Assembly : NA
Teaching and learning : T/L
Viet Duc Upper Secondary School : Viet Duc US School
World Trade Organization : WTO
Ministry of Education and Training : MoET
Upper secondary and Professional Teacher Development Project: USPTDP

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LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND CHARTS

FIGURES

Figure1: Roles of textbook. (Cortazzi, M & Lixian, 1999)
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Figure 2: Options for textbook (Harmer, 2002)
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TABLES

Table 1: General objectives to achieve in Grade 10

Table 2: Teachers' judgment on students' ability on writing tasks
30
Table 3: Students‟ ability in using 4 macro skills related to the Topics
35

CHARTS

Chart 1: Teachers‟ opinions on the Suitability of the Objectives of the
Textbook
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Chart 2: Teachers‟ judgment on communicative aims.
27
Chart 3: Teachers‟ judgment on student‟s interested topics
28
Chart 4: Teachers‟ judgment on students‟ ability on speaking tasks
32
Chart 5: Teachers‟ judgment on students‟ ability on grammar tasks
33
Chart 6: Students‟ opinions on demanding the students‟ needs of the
textbook
34
Chart 7: Average percentage of student‟s ability to do 4 macro skills
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PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale for choosing the topic
In Viet Nam, education is regarded a paramount investment option for the
country‟s long term economic growth and equitable social development. The country‟s
accession to World Trade Organization (WTO) necessitated Viet Nam to accelerate
strengthening of secondary education in developing human resources required for greater
integration in the global economy. With the increase in the enrolment rate to over 90%,
lower secondary education has made commendable progress but expansion of upper
secondary and professional secondary education and improvement of their quality remain
to be key challenges for Viet Nam‟s education system.
It is a fact that the secondary education system in general and English education
in particular in Vietnam has encountered a number of shortcomings in terms of teacher
and teaching quality and students‟ attitude, or testing systems, etc. The majority of
students are lacking opportunities to access and practice English communication, a large
number of schools are not able to provide adequate modern teaching and learning
equipments, etc have questioned educational managers, teachers and students for ages. In
addition, the current teaching curriculum have mismatched with the testing and
evaluation. As a result, the students‟ achievement and the teaching quality as well have
not been properly evaluated.
In execution of Resolution No. 14-NQ/TW of January 11, 1979 of the Political
Bureau of the Party Central Committee (4th Congress), Socialist Republic of Vietnam, it
has been indicated that innovation of teaching curriculum and textbooks have been
clearly directed with four main principles: (i) to have a firm grasp of the objectives and
requirements in the contents and methods of education; (ii) to ensure the systematic,
inheritance and development character of the educational program suited to the practice
and traditions of Vietnam, to acquire the achievements of advanced education in the
world; (iii) to ensure uniformity in knowledge and know-how standards, to increase the

continuity with vocational education and post-secondary education, at the same time to
work out plans to make the program and textbooks suited to the conditions and
circumstances of different area; (iv) to conduct synchronically the renovation of the
program, textbooks and the method of teaching and learning with the basic renovation of
the method of evaluation, … renovation of the management of education.


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In the process of implementation of the above resolution, the Ministry of
Education and Training has conducted development of standard curriculum and
textbooks for pilot testing all secondary subject areas inclusive of English. This task has
been finalized so far. English 10 textbook was carried piloting the second year in 44
upper secondary schools nationwide, English 11 started to pilot in school year (SY)
2004-2005 and English 12 has been completed and tested in SY 2005-2006. Therefore, a
set of English textbooks have been officially approved for 3 years and it would be
confirmed that English teaching renovation in secondary education is crucial and
assessment of implementation status in secondary schools is also very important. It plays
a momentous role in continuous improvement of the textbooks and teaching
methodology in the future.
For all these reasons, a thesis named: “Adapting English 10 textbook for
students at Viet Duc Upper Secondary School – A case study” has been fostered and
conducted.
2. Aims and objectives
1. In line with the above mentioned thoughts on teachers and learners‟ needs from
the textbook, the author sets out to convey a question “How is English 10 employed at
Viet Duc US School?” in terms of its methodology, content, objectives, practicality and
then to determine whether the book corresponds closely with the teaching curriculum
prescribed by MoET. Specifically, the researcher seeks to examine the nature of textbook
and the suitability of the textbook at Viet Duc School context.
2. It is expected that findings and discussion given would make certain

contribution to the improvement of the textbook and propose samples of adaptation to
enhance the effectiveness of the material within a case of Viet Duc US school.
In short, the study is an attempt to meet two aims. It not only points to the value
of teacher‟s use of the textbook in pursuance with MoET‟s curriculum but also to their
wish for guidance in applying materials, adapting these and preparing their own
(McGrath, 2002).


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3. Research questions
To fulfill the aims mentioned above, this research addresses the following
questions:
1. How far is English 10 textbook suitable for teachers and students at Viet Duc
Upper Secondary School?
2. How can English 10 be adapted to suit the Viet Duc School context?
In other words, this study focuses on the evaluation of suitability of teaching and
learning of English 10 textbook at Viet Duc School regarding its methodology, content,
objectives, and practicality. The evaluation will be compared with the teaching
curriculum prescribed by MoET and then relevant adaptation will be given to demanding
both teaching and learning settings at Viet Duc US School.
4. Scope of research
As mentioned in the research‟s title, it is expected to carry out an investigation on
the textbook of Standard English 10. Since then, the author will study teaching and
learning situation in the light of learner-centred approach and communication learning
approach, with selected students at grade 10 within Viet Duc US school. Based on
theoretical background and actual observations, recommendations for teaching adaptation
of reading skills are given as an example.
5. Significance of the study
The study aims at conveying a picture of the teaching performance with both
strengths and weaknesses of English teachers at Viet Duc School in particular and in

secondary schools in general, since then they would have more adjustments to demand
the requirements of Vietnamese modern educational system; especially supporting
curriculum designers and textbooks composers seriously draw experiences and make
adjustments on the new English 10 standard textbook and current needs of society.
My second intention is to clearly understand how suitable the English 10 textbook
is as applying at Viet Duc US School. Besides, the author has expected to give
recommendations for enhancing T/L quality of the school, providing consultation to
educational managers to better understand English studies and making relevant policies
of management in time; upgrading pre-service and in-service teacher training programs
under the control of the project and MoET as well.


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6. Design of the study
PART I: INTRODUCTION provides the basic information such as the aims, the
scope, and significance of the study.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT contains of 3 chapters.
Chapter 1: Literature Review justifies the literature on roles of textbook‟s use in ELT
classroom, reasons on material adaptation, definitions and techniques of adaptation and
especially the statement of the problems whose background of teachers and students are
given clearly with the application of textbook at the school.
Chapter 2: Research Methodology focus on the methodology employed in this study,
including the methodology, the participants, the instruments and data collection.
Chapter 3: Findings and Discussions are reported.
PART III: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS presents a review of the
research and the recommendations for the improvement of the material with selected
suggestions for further research.


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The textbook can be …
 A teacher
 A map
 A resource
 A trainer
 An authority
 A de-skiller
 An ideology

PART II: DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

The process of the literature review involves the researcher in exploring the
literature to establish the status quo, formulate a problem or research enquiry, define the
value of pursuing the line of enquiry established, and the compared the findings and ideas
with his or her own (Andresen 1997, adapted from Bruce 1994). That‟s why, as stated
in the title of the thesis, the assumption has been made that the primary parts of the
literature will be involved in the role of teaching materials in EL/ ESL classrooms and
the review of literature concerning material adaptation. The statement of the problems of
teachers and students is the statements of problems which are given in the Literature
Review. embedded the background and the current use of textbook at Viet Duc US
school. This assumption has influenced both the structure and the content of the literature
review. The third which provides the conclusion on findings and discussion is the most
important part of the study.
1.1. Teaching materials in ELT/ESL classrooms
ELT textbooks can be analyzed as having a number of important functions in
several extents. It has a vital and positive part to play in the everyday job of teaching and
learning English. Figure 1 is shown obvious roles of textbooks in the point of views of
Cortazzi, M and Lixian, J (1999).

Figure1: Roles of textbook. (Cortazzi, M & Lixian, J, p. 199, 1999)
Firstly, Cortazzi, M and Lixian, J (1999) believed that “a textbook is also a map
that gives an overview of a structured program of linguistic and cultural elements,


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showing teachers and learners the ground to be covered and summarizing the route taken
in previous lessons”. Other theorists such as Sheldon (1988) agree with that idea and
suggest that textbooks not only “represent the visible heart of any ELT program” (p. 237)
but also offer considerable advantages – for both students and teachers – when they are
being used in the ESL/EFL classroom. Textbooks provide structure and syllabus for a
program. Without textbooks a program may have no central core and learners may not
receive syllabus that has been systematically planned and developed. Haycroft (1998),
for example, suggests that one of the primary advantages of using textbooks is that they
are psychologically essential for students since their progress and achievement can be
measured concretely when we use them. The use of textbook in a program can ensure
that the students in different classes receive similar content and therefore can be tested in
the same way. It is easy to keep track of what one teacher has done and to tell others
where he has reached (e.g. when reporting to the Head of Department or briefing a
substitute teacher). Secondly, a set of materials often including textbooks, workbooks,
CDs, cassettes, CD ROMs, comprehensive teaching techniques and activities make
textbook to be a very rich and varied resource for both teachers and learners. Crawford, J
(2001) also regards textbook as a source to explore the nonverbal and cultural aspects of
language as well as the verbal. Intonation, gesture, mime, facial expression, body posture
and so on, are all essential channels of communication which not only help learners
understand the verbal language to which they are exposed, but also are an integral part of

the system of meaning which they are seeking to learn. Thirdly, as Cortazzi, M and
Lixian, J (1999) have pointed out, a textbook is also a trainer: for inexperienced or
untrained teachers, the explanations and guidance, the step-by-step instructions of a
teacher‟s guidebook, can be very useful. Textbooks are seen as embodying current
research and theory. More than that, students can use textbooks as references beyond the
classroom and independently of the teacher (Crawford, 2001). Similarly, Leslie
Dickinson (1987) also identified that commercial materials are best served for self-
instruction. Fourthly, a textbook is thus seen as an authority: it is reliable, valid, and
written by experts Cortazzi, M and Lixian, J (1999). Often a textbook carries the
authorization of important publishers or ministries of education, together with the further
authority that many EFL teachers have no choice as to which text to use: a school
administrator, or the ministry itself, may take such decisions on behalf of all teachers
within their purview. Fifthly, as O‟Neill (1982) has indicated, textbooks are generally
sensitive to student‟s needs, even if they are not designed specifically for them, they are


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efficient in terms of time and money, and they can and should allow for adaptation and
improvisation. A sixth advantage identified by Cunningsworth (1995) is the potential
which textbooks have for serving several additional roles in the ELT curriculum. He
argues that they are an effective resource for self-directed learning, an effective resource
for presentation material, a source of ideas and activities, and a reference source for
students, a syllabus where they reflect pre-determined learning objectives, and support
for less experienced teachers who have yet to gain in confidence. Finally, Hutchinson
and Torres (1994) have shown that textbooks may play a pivotal role in innovation. They
suggest that textbooks can support teachers through potentially disturbing and
threatening change processes, demonstrate new and/ore untried methodologies, introduce
change gradually, and create scaffolding upon which teachers can build a more creative
methodology of their own.
While many of the aforementioned theorists are quick to point out the extensive

benefits of using ESL/EFL textbooks, there are many other researchers and practitioners
who do not necessarily accept these views and retain some well-founded reservations on
the subject. Crawford, J (2001), for instance, has written a scathing commentary on the
use of textbooks in the ELT classroom. He suggests that we are living in a multimedia
age, but many teachers still have neither the time nor access to adequate technology to
create „authentic‟ audiovisual materials (i.e., videos, cassettes and computers programs
which reflect the real world products the learners encounter outside the classroom).
Without such authenticity, however, it is difficult to provide culturally rich input, or to
develop coping strategies that will enable students to take advantage of the
extracurricular input to which they have accessed.
Another assumption on the backwash effects of textbook made by Crawford, J
(2001), Cortazzi, M & Lixian J, (1999) and Richard (2001). They state that textbook can
deskill teachers. If teachers use textbooks as the primary source of their teaching leaving
the textbooks and teacher‟s manual to make major instructional decisions for them the
teacher‟s role can become reduced to that of a technician whose primary function is to
present materials prepared by others. The teachers will slavishly follow the textbook, let
it control the classroom and what occurs therein, and fail to respond to learner feedback
or to challenge received ideas contained in the materials. Theorists, in fact, have implied
to the inherent danger of the inexperienced teachers who may use a textbook as a
pedagogic crutch, such an over-reliance may actually have the opposite effect of saving
students from a teacher‟s deficiencies (O‟Neill, 1982; William, 1983; Allwright, 1982).


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In such a view justified, and, if teachers do behave in this way, is it realistic to expect
them to prepare their own materials? In any case, as Allwright (1982) points out,
materials may contribute to both goals and content but they can not determine either.
What is learnt, and indeed, learnable, is a product of the interaction between learners,
teachers and the materials at their disposal.
1.2. Textbooks adaptation

1.2.1. Definitions
As early mentioned, it is confirmed that textbooks is originally developed to
demanding to student‟s needs and they can and should allow for adaptation and
improvisation (O‟Neill, 1982). Nunan (1991) shared the same opinion that “most
commercially produced materials can be adapted to fit a range of needs and goals not
originally envisaged by the materials writers.” Textbook adaptation, in fact, is defined
to be a process of need demanding between the target goals and the current settings,
demands of teachers and students. It is something that is essential in the process of
changing existing materials to make them more suitable for self-instruction in Dickinson,
Leslie‟s ideas (1987). This usually involves making several additions to the materials so
that they will meet the minimum specifications for self-instructional materials. This
adaptation assumes autonomous learners. In addition, McGrath, Ian (2002) not only
emphasizes the importance of adaptation as a process but also highlights the teachers‟
competence in managing that process. Although they may not always be in a position to
select the materials they use, teachers do decide, consciously or instinctively, how much
of those materials will be used, and how much of what is used will be modified.
1.2.2. The purposes of adaptation
The two most frequently cited purposes for adaptation are as follows:
1. to make the material more suitable for the circumstances in which it is being
used, i.e. to mould it to the needs and interests of learners, the teacher‟s own
capabilities and such constrains as time, or, as McDonough and Shaw(1993:85)
put it: „to maximize the appropriation of teaching materials (seem more relevant
because it is important, it can stipulate motivation, and increased motivation is
in turn likely to lead to a classroom atmosphere more conductive to learning) in
context, by changing some of the internal characteristics of a course book to


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better suit our particular circumstances (what we are really trying to is to
improve the effectiveness of learning experience‟;

2. to compensate for any intrinsic deficiencies in the material, such as linguistics
inaccuracies, out- of- datedness, lack of authenticity (Madsen and Bowen
1978) or lack of variety.
1.2.3. Adaptation techniques
 A principled approach to adaptation
Setting a proper principle for adaptation is not an easy task. It, thus, requires much
consideration on particular circumstances, the specific needs of teachers and students,
etc. It is the best solution to take into account of the following questions suggested by
Cunningworth (1984: 66):
- What does the exercise actually get the learner to do?
- What do I want the learner to do?
- How can I get the exercise to do what I want it to do for the learner?
- What is the objective of the activity? (McGrath, Ian 2002: 66)
Besides, adaptation is considered agents of change and the importance of the
textbook becomes even greater in periods of change (Hutchinson and Torres, 1994).
Mentioning foci and forms of change, therefore, is as important and efficient as
providing best tools for teachers to apply at anytime, anywhere. Ian, McGrath (2002)
suggests one of the reasons given above for adaptation was to maintain learner interests
by varying what might otherwise be a rather repetitive diet.
 The foci would include (1) language – the language of explanations, examples,
texts, exercise and the language that students are expected to produce (2) the contexts
and content to which the language relates; and (3) procedures and classroom
management – who does what with whom and how this is organized; (4) restructuring in
relation to a particular activity in order to build in variety or increase the degree of
challenge is more of a procedural change.
1.2.4. Classification of adaptation
Madsen and Bowen (1978) claim that „Every teacher is in a very real sense an
adapter of the material he uses (p.vii), employing „one ore more of a number of
techniques: supplementing, editing, expanding, personalizing, simplifying, modernizing,
localizing, or modifying cultural/situational content‟ (p.ix);

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Ellis, M. (1986: 47) mentions the processes of „retaining, rejecting, re-ordering
and modification; Tomlinson (1998b: xi) refers to „reducing, adding, omitting, modifying
and supplementing‟. In the view point of Nunan (1991), two main categories of
adaptation are mentioned: adaptation as addition (in a restricted sense) and adaptation as
change.
Adaptation, generally, is a process of changing in which may occurs adding,
rewriting, replacing, re-ordering or reducing activities or content according to Harmer
(2002). More details on the options of textbook use are given in Figure 2 below:

USE OF THE TEXTBOOK

Figure 2: Figure 2: Options for textbook (Harmer, 2002)
According to these grounds of classification, 5 main options for adaptation are
figured out as bellows:
1.2.4.1. Adding
Addition is interpreted by McGrath, Ian (2002) by four main categories:
extemporization, extension, exploitation. The notion of addition, basically, is that
materials are supplemented by putting more into them, while taking into account the
practical effect on time allocation. First, addition is made in the quantitative way by the
technique of extending. McMough and Shaw (1993) explained that “this means that the
techniques are being applied within the methodological framework of the original
materials: in other words, the model is not itself changed. The following situation is an
obvious example. A second reading passage parallel to the one provided is helpful in
reinforcing the key linguistic features – tenses, sentence, structures, vocabulary, cohesive

YES











NO







USE THE
TEXTBOOK

NO CHANGE

CHANGE

OMIT

R
EPLACE

Add

Rewrite

Replace Activity

Re
-
order

Reduce







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devices – of the first text. Second, more far-reaching perspective on addition of materials
can be termed expanding. Whereas extension involves quantitative change, expansion
represents a qualitative change (McGrath, Ian 2002). This can be thought as of a change
in the overall system (Mough and Shaw, 1993).
1.2.4.2. Rewriting

Rewriting may relate activities more closely to learners‟ own background and
interest, introduce model of authentic language, or set most purposeful problem-solving
tasks in case the students cannot answer in prior to be asked by the teacher. Audio
materials, for instance, are either not available or cannot be purchased in a particular
teaching context, the teacher, then, can rewrite reading passage and deliver it orally
“perhaps by taking notes from the original and then speaking naturally to the classroom
from notes‟.
1.2.4.3. Deleting or omitting
Deletion is certainly the opposite process to that of addition. As mentioned in the
previous section that materials can be added both quantitatively (extending) and
qualitatively (expanding), the same point applies when a decision is taken to omit
materials. The most straightforward aspect of reducing the length of materials is
subtracting.
Addition and deletion of ten work together. Textbooks may be taken out and then
replaced with something authentically. The methodological change is greater when, for
example, grammar practice is substituted after the omission of an inappropriate
communicative function, or when a reading text is replaced by a listening passage.
1.2.4.4. Simplifying
Simplification is defined as procedures designed to make things easier for or
more accessible to learner; e.g. the editing of texts to reduce linguistic or conceptual
difficulty, and modifications to tasks (McGrath, Ian 2002). Simplification could be in the
following forms:
1. Sentence structure: sentences are reduced in overall length, or complex sentence
is rewritten as a number of simple ones, for example by the replacement of
relative pronouns by nouns and pronouns followed by a main verb.
2. Lexical content, so that the number of new vocabulary items is controlled by
reference to what students have already learned.


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3. Grammatical structures: for instance, passives are converted to actives; past
perfect to simple past, reported to directed speech.
Simplification has a number of further implications. First, once linguistic items are
changed, stylistics will be affected, and therefore the meaning of intention of the original
text is changed. Second, simplification of content is required when the complexity of the
subject-matter is regarded as being too advanced. Third, simplification can refer to the
ways in which the content is presented: we may decide not to make any changes to the
original text, but instead, to lead the learners through it in a number of graded stages.
1.2.4.5. Re-ordering
This procedure refers to the possibility of putting the parts of a course book in a
different order. This may mean adjusting the sequence of presentation within a unit, or
taking units in a different sequence from that originally intended.
1.3. The statement of the problems
1.3.1. Teachers' background
The teaching staff has been known to be the key to success of traditional teaching
and learning at Viet Duc School so far. All teachers here obtained at least Bachelor
degrees and they have experienced in teaching service for various years. As of English
teaching group, more than half of teachers have worked in the school and have chances
to study overseas during these years. Teaching and self-training for updating and
improving capacity are continuous tasks at this school. One of 12 English teachers is at
the young age; the remaining teachers are almost experienced but getting old. Thus,
“how to rejuvenate the teaching staff of English remained a question that Viet Duc
School is facing” the Viet Duc Principal said.
1.3.2. Students' background
Viet Duc School is located in the central and it has a reputation of first-ranked
high school in Hanoi. The majority of students in Viet Duc School are selected with very
high qualification. They, thus, have remarkable background of education in general and
English proficiency in particular. The students of grade 10th are aged fifteen to sixteen
from mostly in Hanoi. Most of them have learnt English at lower secondary school for at
least three years. Additionally, Viet Duc School is a top school in Hanoi, it, thus has been

invited to take part in a number of scholarships, educational development programs


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funded by giant international organizations such as RMIT, British Council, IDP, etc. It is
certain that the students have tremendous opportunities to access and improve their
English proficiency.
Few of students, however, learnt other foreign languages such as Russian, French
or Chinese. Consequently, students are varied in the English background.
English course for grade 10th students in Vietnam in general and for those at Viet
Duc School is divided into two semesters with a total of 105 periods, 3 periods each
week. The aims and objectives of the senior high school‟s English curriculum are to help
students consolidate, widen and enrich their English competence including both language
knowledge and skills which they have gained at junior high school (MOET, 2002).
1.4. Summary
Chapter one has presented the major roles that materials play in the process of
teaching and learning as well as issues of materials adaptation that need to be taken into
account. The discussion implies that issues such as what adaption is, why to adapt, how
to adapt, who are participants and other issues of material adaptation. More importantly,
the detail introduction of current settings of teachers and students at Viet Duc School are
provided and it becomes the essential background of this thesis.




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CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This Chapter describes how to collect information using a set of tools for case
study including observation, analysis of documents, questionnaires, interviews and both
objectives-referenced and classroom-based tests.

2. 1. Research design
The study is aiming at the evaluation and adaptation of English 10 in terms of its
objectives, content and methodology. The summative adaptation was implemented as
teachers and students at Viet Duc School have just finished the textbook‟s use to
determine whether the material has worked well. The researcher employed a
triangulation of methods, which was a combination of textbook analysis, survey
questionnaires and informal interviews. The researcher‟s belief was that a combination of
different methods to collect data could provide more reliable and valid information for
the study.
2. 2. Characteristics of the case study
A case study involves a detailed exploration of a single instance of, or example
of, something. Gillham (2000:1) defines a case as:
 a unit of human activity embedded in the real world;
 which can only be studied or understood in context;
 which exists here and now;
 that merges in with its context so that precise boundaries are difficult to draw
A case study, thus, is one which seeks a range of different kinds of evidence
which is there in the case setting, and which has to be abstracted and collated to get the
best possible answers to the research questions (Gillham, 2000).
It is a case study selected in Viet Nam with the reason that it reflects an important
current issue. It may also be that each case selected for this study may, to some degree,
be typical of other secondary schools in Vietnam. Access is an important issue to be
considered in a case study. The school which the author chose for this study is the one
where she has experience working with, and therefore, is quite accessible. For these
reasons, Viet Duc School is selected as a case in the study of the English textbook 10
(standard version developed by MOET).


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2. 3. Methodology

In this section, the author provided the description of the instruments for
collecting data that were used and highlighted the strengths and weakness of the research
methods chosen.
The research methods selected are textbook analysis, surveys and informal
interviews. Of these three methods textbook analysis is one of the main instruments with
a thorough objective analysis of the textbook under evaluation and adaptation. Survey
Questionnaire is used to collect data that relates to the teachers‟ and students‟
perspectives and attitudes towards the textbook they have applied. Informal interviews
are conducted to clarify information collected in the survey. The next part is a detailed
discussion of the research methods used in the thesis.
2. 3.1. Document analysis
According to Hutchinson and Waters, textbook evaluation is basically a
straightforward, analytical matching process: matching needs to available solutions
(Hutchinson and Waters 1987:97). Robinson (1991) also added that in evaluation and
adaptation, the analysis of existing documents can provide useful information and they
“form essential part of the data for an evaluation exercise” One of the biggest advantages
of document analysis is that in some situations, a document represents a reflection of
reality (May, 2001).
In this thesis, textbook analysis or in other words objective analysis is an effective
method to collect data for the study because the purpose of this study is to evaluate and
adapt the English 10 textbook for students at Viet Duc US School. The evaluator is also a
teacher who has used the materials for teaching and is now in a position to conduct an
evaluation of the material based on an analysis of the teaching material and MOET
requirements of the course. The data collected from the textbook analysis would be the
analysis of the appropriateness of the materials in terms of objectives, content, and
methodology to determine whether the materials is suitable to MOET requirements of the
course and the student‟s level of English.
2. 3.2. Survey questionnaires
Interviewing can be a complicated business as far as finding mutually convenient
times is concerned. Thus, questionnaire is the best choice to be the instruments in this

educational research. Gillham (2000) has figured out a number of great benefits of


24
questionnaire such as: low cost in time and money, analysis of answers is
straightforward; less pressure for an immediate response, respondent‟s anonymity and
especially, lack of interviewer bias.
Hence survey questionnaire was chosen to collect Teachers and students‟
opinions and attitudes toward the textbook when they have experienced with the book.
Teachers and students were requested to complete and return the questionnaire within a
week. They thus would have opportunities to reflect their own experiences of teaching
and learning the material. The information, therefore, would be more detailed and more
accurate.
The researcher made use of two sets of survey questionnaires to cover all belief of
teachers and students and suggestions serving for the improvement of the textbook. The
questionnaires were given to the population of 12 teachers who teach English at Viet Duc
School (Find Appendix 1 for more details of the questionnaires).
2. 3.3. Informal interviews
Interviews may be used as the primary research tool or in an ancillary role as a
checking mechanism to triangulate data gathered from other sources. Hopkins (cited in
McDonough & McDonoug, 1997) lists three applications of interviews in classroom
research:
 to focus on a specific aspect of classroom life in detail
 teacher-pupil discussion => diagnostic information
 to improve the classroom climate
Nunan (1992) adds the following uses to interviews:
 needs analysis
 program evaluation
 individual case studies
 mini-surveys (within institution)

This study fits well with these uses of interviews. Depending on the evaluation
goals, the specific evaluation context and the nature of the design chosen for the
evaluation, an evaluator can make use of three types of qualitative interview format: the
informal conversational interview (the unstructured interview), the standardized open-
ended interview (the most structured interview), and the interview guide (semi-
structured) (Patton, cited in Lynch, 1996).


25
Informal interview was identified as the most appropriate method to compliment
the other main methods employed in this research. The informal interviews with the
teacher informants and the student sample were conducted after the survey information
had been obtained to clarify information from the surveys. The results of the interviews
were noted; any variance thus can be revealed and adjusted with other methods.
2.4. The participants
Participants or evaluators of the study are an integral part of the study. Many
authors in the literature hold the view that evaluation should not “be restricted to outside
evaluators” (Tomlinson, 1998) especially when the purpose of evaluation is to develop
material. In this situation, inside evaluators may have opportunity to take advantage of
the teachers who have used the material for teaching and the students who have learned
the material under evaluation and adaptation.
2.4.1. The teachers
The grade 10
th
English teaching group in this academic year at Viet Duc School
consists of 12 teachers. The majority of teachers who are middle-aged have obtained
more than 10 years of teaching and only teacher who is young and experiences only three
years at the school. Of all teachers, they graduated from university degree‟s level, three
out of 12 teachers who completed master degree. They, however share a similarity that
they were trained under the strong influence of the Grammar-Translation method, the

emphasis of which is on the learning of the rules of language, not on the acquisition of
language skills. This is manifested in their methods even the new material follows the
communicative approach. The teacher population was firstly surveyed and during the
period of revision of final exams, informal interviews and discussions with them were
conducted.
2.4.2. The students
There are 16 classes of grade 10
th
with approximately 400 students allocated from
class D1 to D12. The distribution of the students is divided based on levels “Excellent”,
“Good”, “Average” evaluated on the student‟s final academic results. It is students in
each class that are similar in their background. The target students are randomly chosen
by picking up students form odd number classes which are D2, D4, (morning classes)
and D6, D8, D10 (afternoon classes) with a total of 250 students. 250 students were


26
surveyed and involved in the research by the end of the academic year before the final
examination and later informal interviews were implemented.
2.5. Data collection Procedures
In order to collect the required data, the researcher decided to employ a
combination of three data collection instruments: document analysis, teacher and student
surveys and informal interviews with the aim of getting the fullest evaluation of the
textbook from the teachers and students who have used and learned the material. The
evaluation of the textbook will be carried out in accordance with the following steps:
1) To identify the criteria for evaluation based on the statements of objectives, aims
and principles prescribed by MOET for grade 10
th
:
2) Objective analysis: textbook analysis and adaptation conducted by the researcher

against requirements by MOET.
3) Subjective analysis: survey teacher population and student sample
4) Conclusion: Matching the analysis results with the specified requirements.
2.6. Summary
A discussion of data collection instruments has been provided in this chapter. It also
described the participants, the methodology used and data collection procedures.


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CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
In the closing chapter, the author integrates and summarizes briefly all of the
preceding chapters.
3.1. Textbook analysis of English 10
3.1.1. Overview of the national curriculum and course objectives
In 2006, a new curriculum which defines English as a compulsory subject, is
“instrumental to the access of world science and technology as well as world cultures”
was developed by MOET (MOET, 2006). It describes the aims for ELT at secondary
school level as enabling students to:

Grade 10
Listening
Understand the main ideas and details of monologues/ dialogues of
120-150 words on the 6 topic covered. Understand texts that are
delivered at a slow speed.
Speaking
Ask and answer about the topics covered. Perform some basic language
functions such as giving instruction, expressing opinions, asking
direction, asking and giving information, etc.
Reading
Understand the main ideas and details of texts of 190-230 words on the

topics covered. Develop vocabulary strategies: using words in contexts,
dictionary skills, etc.
Writing
Write texts of 100-120 words on familiar topics based on models or
prompts for personal or basic communicative purposes.
Table 1: General objectives to achieve in Grade 10
The curriculum specifies the teaching contents and class time allocation. The
teaching contents are organized according to themes in order to provide contexts for
language skills, language elements and socio-cultural knowledge to be taught and
developed in an integrated manner. These themes are all drawn from the contexts of
students‟ daily life such as home and school, health, reaction, community and the world.
Detailed analysis on topics in the textbook will be conducted in the following part of
teacher‟s and student‟s questionnaires.
In addition, the curriculum guidelines also state the following principles for the
selection and sequencing of topics, skills, language elements, instructional units,
exercises and tasks in ELT syllabus: