ENGLISH FOR TOURISM TEXTBOOK EVALUATION ULIS STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES = ĐÁNH GIÁ GIÁO TRÌNH TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH DU LỊCH góc NHÌN từ SINH VIÊN đại TRƯỜNG học NGOẠI NGỮ

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION

GRADUATION PAPER

ENGLISH FOR TOURISM TEXTBOOK
EVALUATION: ULIS STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES

Supervisor: Cấn Thị Chang Duyên, M.A & MBA
Student: Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo
Course: QH2010.F1.E7

HÀ NỘI – 2021


ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH

KHĨA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

ĐÁNH GIÁ GIÁO TRÌNH TIẾNG ANH CHUN
NGÀNH DU LỊCH: GĨC NHÌN TỪ SINH VIÊN ĐẠI
TRƯỜNG HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ

Giáo viên hướng dẫn: ThS Cấn Thị Chang Duyên
Sinh viên: Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo
Khóa: QH2017.F1.E7

HÀ NỘI – 2021

ACCEPTANCE PAGE
I hereby state that I: Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, QH2017.F1.E7, being a
candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (English Language Teacher
Education) accept the requirements of the College relating to the retention and
use of Bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited in the library.

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited
in the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in
accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care,
loan or reproduction of the paper.

Signature

Date: May 3 2021

i


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express the sincerest gratitude to my supervisor, MA. Cấn
Thị Chang Duyên, for her invaluable encouragement and endless support.
Without her comments and corrections, I would not have finished my thesis.
My thanks are also extended to 41 Administration students and 4 ESP
lecturers at the Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, University of
Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University for their great
support and enthusiastic participation in the procedure of data collection.
Finally, my special thanks go to my beloved family and friends for their
love and encouragement on the journey of conducting this thesis.

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ABSTRACT
While ESP textbooks play an indispensable role in language teaching and
learning, there is no ESP textbook that can ideally fit a particular teaching
situation as there are numerous components affecting it such as the course
objectives, learners’ expectations, and learners’ ability. Accordingly, textbook
evaluation is of the essence in the selection process of the most appropriate
textbook in a specific context. This thesis was conducted to evaluate the textbook
English for Tourism, which has been used for Administration students at the
Faculty of English at ULIS, VNU. The researcher applied a mixed evaluation
model with data collected from 41 learners and 4 teachers via questionnaires and
her document analysis. The evaluation sought the users’ perspectives on the
textbook and their recommendations for improvement. The findings showed that
the textbook could be reused in further courses, based on positive responses from
the participants; however, it needed to be modified before further use. Firstly,
practical knowledge, up-to-date information, and contents of Vietnam’s context
should be added to the textbook. Additionally, its artwork should be redesigned,
and its chapters should be reorganized and restructured to facilitate learners’
better understanding. The findings also indicated that teachers should carry out
textbook evaluation to ensure its fit into their teaching context.
Keywords: ESP textbook evaluation, English for Tourism

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ..................................................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................. ii
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ vii
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1
1.1. Rationale of the study....................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Research aims and Research questions .......................................................................... 2
1.3. Scope of the study ............................................................................................................. 2
1.4. Significance of the study .................................................................................................. 3
1.5. Organization of the study ................................................................................................ 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................... 4
2.1.

Definitions of ESP ........................................................................................................ 4

2.2. An overview of ESP textbooks......................................................................................... 4
2.2.1. Definitions of ESP textbooks .................................................................................................... 4
2.2.2. The role of ESP textbooks ......................................................................................................... 4

2.3. An overview of ESP textbook evaluation ....................................................................... 5
2.3.1. Definitions of ESP textbook evaluation .................................................................................... 5
2.3.2. Purposes of ESP textbook evaluation ........................................................................................ 5
2.3.3. Types of ESP textbook evaluation............................................................................................. 6
2.3.4. Instruments of ESP textbook evaluation ................................................................................... 6
2.3.5. Models of ESP textbook evaluation .......................................................................................... 8

2.4. Research studies on ESP textbook evaluation ............................................................. 12
2.5. Document analysis .......................................................................................................... 14

2.5.1. Overall evaluation.................................................................................................................... 14
2.5.2. Organization, Structure, and Design........................................................................................ 14
2.5.3. Tasks ........................................................................................................................................ 15
2.5.4. Methodologies ......................................................................................................................... 16
2.5.5. Language ................................................................................................................................. 16

2.6. Summary of the chapter ................................................................................................ 17

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 18
3.1. Research approach ......................................................................................................... 18
3.2. Selected subjects ............................................................................................................. 18
3.3. Data collection instruments ........................................................................................... 18
3.3.1. Questionnaires ......................................................................................................................... 19

3.4. Data collection procedure .............................................................................................. 19
3.4.1. Questionnaires ......................................................................................................................... 19
3.4.2. Document analysis ................................................................................................................... 20

3.5. Summary of the chapter ................................................................................................ 20

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................... 21

iv


4.1. Results of the questionnaires ......................................................................................... 21
4.1.1. Teachers’ questionnaire results ............................................................................................... 21
4.1.2. Learners’ questionnaire results ................................................................................................ 25

4.2. Recommendations for the improvement of the textbook ............................................ 32

4.2.1. Teachers’ Recommendations ................................................................................................... 32
4.2.2. Learners’ Recommendations ................................................................................................... 37
4.2.3. Summary of the teachers’ and learners’ recommendations for the textbook’s improvement . 49

4.3. Summary of the chapter ................................................................................................ 52

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ...................................................................................... 53
5.1. Summary of the study .................................................................................................... 53
5.2. Recommendations........................................................................................................... 54
5.3. Limitations of the study ................................................................................................. 55
5.4. Suggestions for further studies ...................................................................................... 55

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 56
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 61
APPENDIX 1: PARTICIPATION INFORMATION SHEET .................................... 62
APPENDIX 2: PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM .................................................... 64
APPENDIX 3: QUESTIONNAIRE INSTRUCTION ................................................. 66
APPENDIX 4: QUESTIONNAIRE .............................................................................. 67
APPENDIX 5: CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ........................... 75
APPENDIX 6: PAGE 94 AND 95 EXTRACTED FROM THE TEXTBOOK ............ 76
APPENDIX 7: THE COVER SHEETS OF CHAPTER 8 AND CHAPTER 3 .......... 77
APPENDIX 8: PAGE 44 EXTRACTED FROM THE TEXTBOOK .......................... 78
APPENDIX 9: “THE NATURE AND TYPES OF DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS”
EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 88 OF THE TEXTBOOK ............................................. 79
APPENDIX 10: PAGE 98 AND 99 EXTRACTED FROM THE TEXTBOOK .......... 80
APPENDIX 11: “OTHER EMPLOYERS OF TOUR MANAGERS AND GUIDES”
EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 61 OF THE TEXTBOOK ............................................. 81
APPENDIX 12: “OTHER TOUR-RELATED JOB OPPORTUNITIES”
EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 62 OF THE TEXTBOOK ............................................. 82
APPENDIX 13: A PART EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 4 OF THE TEXTBOOK ..... 83

APPENDIX 14: “BUSINESS TOURISM” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 5 OF THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 84
APPENDIX 15: “TOUR OPERATORS” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 60 OF THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 85
APPENDIX 16: “TOUR OPERATORS” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 91 OF THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 86
APPENDIX 17: SALES PROMOTIONS” EXTRACTED FROM CHAPTER 9 ....... 87
APPENDIX 18: “PUBLIC RELATIONS” EXTRACTED FROM CHAPTER 9 ....... 88

v


APPENDIX 19: “PRESS RELEASES AND PRESS CONFERENCES”
EXTRACTED FROM CHAPTER 9 ............................................................................. 89
APPENDIX 20: “CASE STUDY 1” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 32 OF THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 90
APPENDIX 21: “CASE STUDY” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 20 OF THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 91
APPENDIX 22: “TYPES OF TOUR GUIDES” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 59 OF
THE TEXTBOOK .......................................................................................................... 92
APPENDIX 23: “PURPOSES OF TAKING A TOUR” EXTRACTED FROM PAGE
56 OF THE TEXTBOOK .............................................................................................. 93
APPENDIX 24: PAGE 57 EXTRACTED FROM THE TEXTBOOK ........................ 94
APPENDIX 25: THE COVER SHEET OF CHAPTER 4 EXTRACTED FROM THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 95
APPENDIX 26: THE COVER SHEET OF CHAPTER 5 EXTRACTED FROM THE
TEXTBOOK ................................................................................................................... 96
APPENDIX 27: A PART EXTRACTED FROM PAGE 2 OF THE TEXTBOOK ..... 97
APPENDIX 28: PAGE 11 AND 12 EXTRACTED FROM THE TEXTBOOK .......... 98
APPENDIX 29: TOMLINSON’S (2003) TEXTBOOK EVALUATION MODEL ..... 99

APPENDIX 30: TOPICS TAUGHT IN THE TEXTBOOK ...................................... 101
APPENDIX 31: THE LENGTH OF EACH CHAPTER ........................................... 102
APPENDIX 32: THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE TEXTBOOK 103
APPENDIX 33: A TENTATIVE CHECKLIST FOR TEXTBOOK EVALUATION 105

vi


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ESP: English for Specific Purposes
GE: General English
ULIS: University of Languages and International Studies
HaUI: Hanoi University of Industry
VNU: Vietnam National University
CLT: Communicative Language Teaching

vii


LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Textbook Evaluation Methods systematized by Gholami, Noordin, and
Refik-Galea (2017)
Figure 2. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) textbook evaluation model
Figure 3. Littlejohn’s textbook evaluation (1998 & 2011) model
Figure 4. Teachers’ overall evaluation
Figure 5. Teachers’ evaluation on Organization, Structure, and Design
Figure 6. Teachers’ evaluation of Tasks
Figure 7. Teacher’s evaluation of Activities
Figure 8. Teachers’ evaluation of Practicality
Figure 9. Teachers’ evaluation of Most practical topics

Figure 10. Teachers’ evaluation of Physical attributes
Figure 11. Teachers’ evaluation of Language
Figure 12. Learners’ overall evaluation
Figure 13. Learners’ evaluation of Organization, Structure, and Design
Figure 14. Learners’ evaluation of Tasks
Figure 15. Learners’ evaluation of most useful tasks
Figure 16. Learners’ evaluation of Most interesting tasks
Figure 17. Learners’ evaluation of Activities
Figure 18. Learners’ evaluation of Practicality (from Item 19 to Item 22)
Figure 19. Learners’ evaluation of Practicality (from Item 23 to Item 26)
Figure 20. Learners’ evaluation of Most practical topics
Figure 21. Learners’ evaluation of Physical attributes
Figure 22. Learners’ evaluation of Language

viii


LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. The expected number of responses
Table 2. Summary of Teachers’ and Learners’ recommendations for the
improvement of the textbook

ix


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
This chapter concerns the rationale for carrying out this study whose aim
at evaluating the textbook English four Tourism. Additionally, this section also
provides the aims of the study, research questions, scope of the study, and
significance of the study.

1.1. Rationale of the study
Since textbooks play a prominent part in language learning and teaching,
and there is no one-side-fit-all textbook that can satisfy all needs of teachers and
learners, teachers should know how to evaluate textbooks to select the most
appropriate textbook for a particular teaching and learning context. Although
choosing a textbook is a daunting task, it is an inevitable part since it
significantly impacts on students’ abilities to meet their language learning
objectives, their process of learning, and their outcomes. This particular paper
reports on a research conducted at the University of Languages and International
Studies, Vietnam National University, for the purpose of evaluating and
analyzing the English for Tourism textbook. This particular textbook is being
used by Administration students and teachers during the five years of its
existence.
The current English for Tourism ESP textbook is collected and edited
from a wide range of sources. To some extent, the textbook fulfills the prescribed
course objectives such as reading development and tourism-related knowledge.
Nevertheless, there are several driving forces for conducting an evaluation of the
textbook. Firstly, based on hearsay, the author notices that there has been an
increasing number of students’ complaints about the content, organization, and
methodology. Another reason is that compared to previous curriculum in which
English for Tourism is only mandatory for Administration students, this subject
is currently proposed to become one compulsory subject of the mainstream
curriculum. Thus, there should be an evaluation of the textbook before it comes
into wider use, while there has been no evaluation conducted by the university
administration prior to the introduction of the textbook before. Apart from that,
1


while learning the English for Specific Purposes subject at her university, the

author acknowledges the significance of the textbook evaluation. That is,
evaluation helps teachers realize the strengths and weaknesses of the textbook
and then make adjustments to it. This, eventually, can help bring a well-selected
and high-quality textbook that can act as a stimulus to both effective learning and
teaching. From the aforementioned reasons, the topic “English for Tourism
Textbook Evaluation: ULIS Students’ Perspectives” is chosen with the intention
of examining whether it is worthwhile using the textbook English for Tourism
again and how to modify the textbook to make it more effective for future use.

1.2. Research aims and Research questions
The study aims at evaluating the English for Tourism ESP textbook to
examine its appropriateness for Administration students at ULIS, VNU.
The specific objectives of the study are to explore the strengths and
weaknesses of the textbook and to propose improvements or adaptations for the
textbook to enhance both teaching and learning quality at ULIS. The overall aim,
then, is to help English teaching and learning at ULIS become more effective and
compelling.
Accordingly, this study attempts to cope with the following research
questions:
Research question 1: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the
English for Tourism textbook?
Research

question

2:

What

are

the

teachers’

and

learners’

recommendations for the improvement of the textbook?

1.3. Scope of the study
This study is conducted at ULIS, VNU. The sample of the study consists
of 49 Administration students at the Faculty of English who studied with the
textbook in the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. The study is also
carried out with four lecturers teaching English for Tourism at ULIS, VNU.

2


1.4. Significance of the study
The findings of this study would be beneficial for both teachers and
learners at ULIS. That is, teachers can make further improvements for the
textbook based on students’ perceptions, providing a more suitable version of the
textbook for students in the future. On the other hand, learners can learn the
course more effectively with a more appropriate version of the textbook, better
preparing them for future tourism-related careers. Overall, English teaching and
learning quality at ULIS would be enhanced.

1.5. Organization of the study

This study is divided into the following chapters:
In chapter 1, the introduction of the study, concerning its rationale, aims,
research questions, scope, and significance of the study, is presented.
Chapter 2 brings about a literature review. Ideas from different bodies of
literature are presented and synthesized so that an ideology that guides this
research can be established.
The researcher continues to examine on the methodology applied to this
research and steps to gather data in chapter 3.
In chapter 4, the researcher interprets the collected data to reach answers
for the research questions.
Chapter 5 delves into the conclusion of the study, including a summary of
the research, recommendations, limitations, and suggestions for further research.

3


CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, literature on ESP, textbooks, textbook evaluation, and
previous researches on textbook evaluation is reviewed.

2.1.

Definitions of ESP
English for Specific Purposes, or ESP, has been increasingly used since

the 1960s since it is recognizable that general English programs cannot meet
learners’ specific needs and English has become a lingua franca in many working
environments.
There are varied definitions of ESP. According to Paltridge and Starfield
(2013), ESP refers to the teaching and learning of English as a foreign and

second language in which learners’ goal is to use English in a particular field. In
the book of Hutchinson and Water (1987), ESP is defined as an approach to
language teaching and learning, which is directed by learners’ specific needs.
Overall, the primary purpose of ESP is to allow learners to use English to
fulfill their needs.

2.2. An overview of ESP textbooks
2.2.1. Definitions of ESP textbooks
According to Awasthi (2006), a textbook acts as a teaching and learning
material on which the teacher and the learners rely while teaching and learning.
In McGrath’s words (2002), a textbook is defined as “a textbook on which a
course is based”. Tomlinson (1998) shares a similar viewpoint with McGrath as
he deems a textbook as “a textbook which provides the core materials for a
course”. Hutchinson and Torres (1994) state that a textbook is a meaningful
source which helps guide teachers to teach and learners to review knowledge.
It can be seen that there are numerous definitions of ESP textbooks, based
on different contexts in which the textbooks are used. Nonetheless, textbooks are
all considered a source for both teachers and learners

2.2.2. The role of ESP textbooks
4


There are a number of constituents of English language teaching, and
textbooks are ones among essential components. The role of textbooks is
demonstrated by numerous theorists.
Hutchinson and Torres (1994) state that not until the relevant textbook is
chosen, does the teaching-learning situation seem to complete. Sheldon (1988)
also suggests that textbooks “represent the visible heart of any ELT program”.
According to Lotfi (2005), providing learners with appropriate textbooks in

which there should be a match between what is taught and what is learned is one
of the aspects of successful language teaching. In Cunningsworth’s words (1995),
textbooks are considered a means to help achieve aims and objectives set with
reference to learners’ needs. Accordingly, it is of the essence that thorough and
careful textbook selection should be made and the textbook appropriately reflect
the aims and objectives of the ESP course.

2.3. An overview of ESP textbook evaluation
2.3.1. Definitions of ESP textbook evaluation
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998) state that textbook evaluation is a vital
stage in ESP. Textbook evaluation involves the teaching and learning context in
which the textbook is used, the aims and objectives of the ESP course, the
learners, and the teachers (Cunningsworth, 1995). As stated by Hutchinson and
Waters (1987), evaluation is to judge the suitability of something for a particular
purpose. According to them, evaluation is “a matching process: matching needs
to available solutions.” (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). Accordingly, ESP
textbooks should be designed in a way that meets learners’ and teachers’ needs.
Although researchers have their own definitions of textbook evaluation,
they still reach an agreement that evaluation is a process entailing data collection,
judgement formation based on the collected data, and most importantly, action.

2.3.2. Purposes of ESP textbook evaluation
Theorists have listed an array of justifications for textbook evaluations.
According to Mukundan (2004, 2009), there are two purposes of textbook

5


evaluations, the first one is to select the textbook, and the other is to determine
the effectiveness of the textbooks while they are being used. Nevertheless,

Tomlinson and Masuhara (2004) argue that re-development of textbooks is the
ultimate purpose of evaluation. In the opinion of Ellis (1997), evaluation serves
as one way to contribute to teacher development and “professional
empowerment”, while Sheldon (1988) states that the evaluation not only enables
teachers and program developers in the process of choosing the appropriate but
also helps teachers familiarize with its merits and demerits. Overall, it can be
seen that textbook evaluations help identify the potential strengths and
weaknesses of the textbooks for selection or development purposes.

2.3.3. Types of ESP textbook evaluation
Some scholars divide textbook evaluation into three main types, based on
the driving forces for evaluation, namely Preliminary, Formative, and Summative.
The first type, Preliminary evaluation, is conducted prior to the beginning
of a course in order to decide which book to adopt and how it can be adapted via
a set of criteria.
Cunningsworth (1995) and Ellis (1997) state that there are three types of
textbook evaluation, which are “pre-use”, “in-use”, and “post-use” evaluation.
The predictive, or pre-use, evaluation is to make a decision in reference with
which textbooks to use. The second type helps the teacher explore the textbook’s
weaknesses and strengths while it is being used. The last type of evaluation is
retrospective, or post-use evaluation, helps the teacher reflect on the pedagogical
value of the textbook after its use in a particular learning and teaching situation.

2.3.4. Instruments of ESP textbook evaluation
Researchers discuss a wide range of instruments can be employed for
textbook evaluation. For each different type of evaluation, its own method is
applied. In the viewpoint of Hutchinson and Water (1993), questionnaires,
interviews, test results, discussions and other informal means are useful to
evaluate textbooks. When evaluating textbooks, one or more data collection

6


methods can be employed, namely checklists and questionnaires, accession,
discussion and record keeping (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998).

2.3.4.1. Interviews. Robinson (1991) considers interviews as a valuable
method for textbook evaluation. They are beneficial to collect in-depth
information on specific questions and extended exploration, while they can be
time-consuming.

2.3.4.2. Checklists. A checklist is another instrument that practitioners
can apply to textbook evaluation (Jayakaran, Reza, & Vahid, 2011). The
checklist is stated to be either quantitative or qualitative, which can offer a more
detailed textbook evaluation regarding generalizable evaluative criteria.
According to Cunningsworth (1995) and McGrath (2002), using checklists is an
economic and systematic approach to textbook evaluation as it can take into all
relevant items into consideration.

2.3.4.3. Questionnaires. Wallace (1998) states that questionnaire is
beneficial due to several reasons. To begin with, it is effective and time-saving to
collect information from a large number of people without the presence of the
researcher. Secondly, questionnaires can help achieve impartial answers, as the
respondents can stay anonymous and convey their views neutrally and freely.
Apart from that, the respondents can answer without time constraints since
immediate responses are not required, giving rise to more accurate results.
Additionally, questionnaires can be delivered online, which is deemed
economical and environment-friendly. From the aforementioned justifications,
online questionnaire is chosen as the major data collection instrument of this
study.

There are three major types of questions including closed questions,
multiple-choice questions or ranking questions, and open-ended questions that
can be used in a questionnaire. While close-ended questions help elicit precise
data, open-ended ones help gain more detailed responses (Dörnyei, 2007).

7


Mackey and Grass (2005) emphasize that open-ended questions offer participants
opportunities to express their opinions freely, giving rise to ‘more unexpected
and insightful’ results. For these results, both close-ended questions and openended questions are chosen for this research’s questionnaire.

2.3.4.4. Document analysis. According to Robinson (1991), document
analysis is mentioned as one of the most effective method to evaluate, which
involves any documents in evocation, such as curriculum description, policy
statement, newspapers, program brochures, and others. It is also stated to be one
of the most common instruments to evaluate textbooks, allowing evaluators
closely elaborate and analyze the printed materials (Hutchinson and Water, 1987).

2.3.5. Models of ESP textbook evaluation
There is an array of textbook evaluation types in which they provide their
own unique checklist for textbook evaluation. They differ in purposes, in
personnel, in styles, in formality, and in timing. The most widely-adopted
textbook evaluation methods have been systematized by Gholami, Noordin, and
Refik-Galea (2017), as demonstrated via Figure 1 below:
Figure 1
Textbook Evaluation Methods systematized by Gholami, Noordin, and RefikGalea (2017)

8

Note. Adapted from A Thorough Scrutiny of ELT textbook evaluations: A Review
Inquiry, by R. Gholami, N. Noordin, and S. Rafik-Galea, 2017, p. 87. Copyright
2017 by IJELS.
2.3.5.1. Tomlinson’s model (2003). Tomlinson lists the most important
type of textbook evaluations includes three stages, which are Pre-use evaluation,
While-evaluation, and Post-use evaluation. (See Appendix 29).
Firstly, in Pre-use evaluation, predictions about the potential value of
materials for their users are made. Tomlinson indicates that pre-evaluation is
often context-free, impressionistic, subjective, and unreliable since teachers scan
textbooks quickly to gain an impression of their values.
The second stage is Whilst-use evaluation that involves the measurement
of the value of materials whilst using them or observing them being used. It can
be more objective and reliable than pre-use evaluations.
The last stage is Post-use evaluation. Tomlinson considers Post-use
Evaluation as the most valuable yet least administered type of evaluation since it
measures the actual impacts of the materials on the users, providing reliable data.
2.3.5.2. Hutchinson and Waters’ model (1987). Hutchinson and Waters
(1987) present a model for a 4 step macro-evaluation, including Defining criteria,
Subjective analysis, Objective analysis, and Matching as can be seen via Figure 2
below:
Figure 2
Hutchinson and Waters (1987) textbook evaluation model

9


Note. Adapted from ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES: A LEARNINGCENTRED APPROACH, by T. Hutchinson and A. Waters, 1987, p. 183.
Copyright 1987 by Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2.3.5.3. McDonough and Shaw’s model (1993). McDonough and Shaw

examine the criteria of evaluation in two stages, which are an external evaluation
and internal evaluation. The former provides a brief overview of the materials
from the outside including cover, introduction, and table of contents, which is
followed by the closer and more detailed latter.
On the one hand, the External Evaluation stage offers a comprehensive,
external picture of the organization of the materials through claims made on the
cover of the teacher’s or students’ book, the introduction and table of contents,
including audience, proficiency level, context intended, how the language is
presented and organized into teachable units, views on language and
methodology, the relationship between the language, the learning process and the
learner, and others.
In this model, once the external evaluation of the macro-evaluation is
completed, it can be followed by the internal or more detailed evaluation known
as micro-evaluation.
On the other hand, the internal evaluation is to scrutinize how far the
external factors harmonize with the internal ones and arrangement of the
textbooks. In other words, evaluators have an in-depth look at two or more units
including the presentation of the skills, the grading and sequencing kinds of texts,
the relationship of texts and exercises, authenticity, and others.
They emphasize that usability, generalizability, adaptability and flexibility
are four major factors taken into consideration when selecting textbooks.
2.3.5.4. Littlejohn’s model (1998 & 2011). A preliminary framework for
materials analysis, evaluation and action is suggested by Littlejohn, as can be
seen via Figure 3 below:
Figure 3

10


Littlejohn’s textbook evaluation (1998 & 2011) model

Note. Adapted from The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the
Trojan Horse, by A. P., Littlejohn, in B. Tomlinson, Materials Development in
Language Teaching, 1998 and 2011. Copyright by Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
As can be seen Figure 3, the evaluation process consists of four stages.
The first stage is to examine the target situation of use and materials. While the
analysis of the target situation of use entails the cultural context, institution,
course, teachers, and learners, materials are analyzed to describe the aspects of
design and publication. This is followed by the Match and evaluation stage,
which examines the appropriateness of the aspects of design and publication to
the target situation of use. In the last stage, Action, evaluators make decisions
over what can be done to improve the material. That is, rejection, adaptation,
adaptation, supplementation, and others can be conducted.
2.3.5.5. The research framework. There is an array of approaches
mentioned in the literature review. As can be seen, models of Ellis (1997),
Tomlinson (2003), Littlejohn (1998 & 2011), and Hutchinson and Waters (1987)
have clear frameworks and detailed criteria. Nevertheless, all aforementioned
models appear to be context-free, and there is no perfect model that can meet all
evaluators’ requirements, giving rise to the need to modify the chosen model to
have an effective evaluation. Likewise, evaluators can combine models to build a
11


principled, systematic and suitable framework for their context. Overall, the most
important factor needed to take into consideration is the evaluators’ purposes of
the evaluation. Depending on varied purposes, the evaluators choose a specific
model or an adapted model to apply to their research.
As there is no perfect evaluation model having criteria that can ideally fit
all teaching and learning context, this study chooses a mixed approach mainly

using Tomlinson’s (2003) framework and supplementing it with evaluation
criteria from the Tentative checklist for Textbook Evaluation (Jayakaran, Reza,
& Vahid, 2011). (See Appendix 33).
There are several justifications for selecting Tomlinson’s (2003)
framework as the main model:
(1) Tomlinson’s model is a comprehensive approach including systematic
and principled procedures to evaluate, with three clear stages.
(2) Comparing with previous versions of other authors, Tomlinson’s
framework appears to be a more updated and detailed version as in each stage,
criteria to be evaluated are offered. The researcher then can base on them and
make her own items to evaluate.
(3) Most of the criteria Tomlinson lists out are accessible and close to both
the learners and teachers, two target groups of the research. Additionally,
Tomlinson’s (2003) criteria emphasize the users’ satisfaction with the textbook.
(4) The criteria listed in each stage can be used for Pre-use, Whilst-use,
and Post-use. Consequently, she can also apply criteria of other stages to Postuse evaluation.
2.4. Research studies on ESP textbook evaluation
ESP textbook evaluation is a worthwhile activity that should have
received more and more appreciation from teachers and researchers. Up to now,
there has been a large number of ESP textbook evaluations on various kinds of
materials, such as English for Tourism, English for Media, English for Medicine,
and others.
Hong (2016)
Hong aims at evaluating the ESP coursebook Nursing 1 at Quang Ninh
Medical College.

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This research follows the model of Hutchinson and Waters (1987). The

researcher uses a mixed method research including questionnaires, informal
interviews, and document analysis. The sampling contains 3 teachers and 150
second-year nursing students.
After the evaluation, the textbook’s strengths and weaknesses are
presented. The textbook appears to have a clear and well-designed layout, and its
aims are relevant to the objectives of the course. On the other hand, the textbook
lacks supporting resources. Overall, the textbook is considered suitable for the
second-year nursing students. It then can be reused in the following courses.
However, some changes regarding the contents should be made in order to meet
the learners’ requirements and language levels.
Nguyen (2015)
Nguyen’s thesis is conducted to evaluate the ESP material English for
International Tourism in the Department of Tourism at HaUI. The material is
evaluated, following the criteria of Hutchinson and Waters’ (1987) objective
analysis Nguyen uses three instruments, namely questionnaires, interviews, and
the document analysis. The subjects of the study consist of three groups. The first
group includes 4 teachers who have taught this course for two years up to 2015.
The second group consists of three teachers from the Tourism department who
all have Master degrees and much experience in the tourism sphere. The last
group contains students from two classes which the researcher teaches.
After the evaluation, the strengths and weaknesses of the material are
discovered. Overall, the material basically meets the course objectives, regarding
aims, content, and methodology. In terms of the strengths, firstly, the material
consists of authentic texts of wide-ranging topics with up-to-date information.
Another strength is that the grammatical structures and grammars are clear and
systematically organized, rendering it understandable to the students. On the
other hand, the material can be further improved by the following ways.
Regarding the language skills, reading tips should be provided, listening texts
should be shortened, and speaking guidance should be given. Additionally, the

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material should add a Vocabulary list so that the students can effectively learn
and revise according to each topic.
Davari, Iranmehre, and Erfani (2013)
The authors evaluate four ESP textbooks, developed and published by
Payam Nour University, in Iranian academic setting. The research employs
McDonough and Shaw’s (2003) model involving two stages, external evaluation
and internal evaluation. The authors use document analysis approach. The
evaluated textbooks are shown to have shortcomings, which are low face validity,
lack of review and update, ineffective exercises and drills, and misconception of
ESP. From that, suggestions are stated. Firstly, a needs analysis should be
conducted as an ESP course should meet the learners’ needs and interests.
Secondly, the contents, visual appearance, and layout of the textbooks should be
revised and updated frequently. Apart from that, new lexical items should be
presented in meaningful and appropriate contexts and recycled across the
textbooks for reinforcement.
2.5. Document analysis
2.5.1. Overall evaluation
The textbook is easy to use. In general, the textbook can offer the learners
an overview of tourism with basic concepts and issues of tourism activities. It
also provides the learners chances to apply theories in discussing and analyzing
tourism issues and activities via group work, which can prepare them for their
future tourism-related career. However, some of the contents of the textbook are
impractical, out-of-date, or unfamiliar with Vietnamese learners.
All things considered, the textbook can be reused in the following courses,
yet it needs improvements on the contents.

2.5.2. Organization, Structure, and Design

The textbook includes 161 pages with 10 chapters, and each chapter
covers one topic. (See Appendix 30).

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