The Evaluation of Vision Textbooks Comparing Former High School English Series in Iranian EFL Academic Context

This research evaluated and compared Vision series, a series of three obligatory textbooks for all students from grades ۱۰ to ۱۲ in Iranian academic context since ۲۰۱۳, versus former English series (FES). The study aimed to explain the weaknesses and strengths of the two series and provide recommendations about how to ameliorate the Vision series to learn English more effective. The evaluation was accomplished using a checklist founded on the evaluation criteria suggested by Tomlinson (۲۰۱۳), Cunningsworth (۱۹۸۴, ۱۹۹۵), McDonough and Shaw (۲۰۰۳), Crookes and Gass (۱۹۹۳) and Jolly and Bolitho (۲۰۱۱). The evaluation checklist was applied to five sections namely theoretical considerations, organizational features and practical considerations, language components, language skills, and teacher’s manuals. Results showed that in theoretical considerations, grammar, speaking, listening, and teachers’ manuals, Vision series surpassed FES but in organizational features and practical considerations, vocabulary, reading, and writing there was no considerable change in these criteria. The results suggested some key points to the authors of the Vision to improve its quality. Furthermore, the study proposed an established checklist for textbook evaluation in various educational settings.

Keywords:

textbook evaluation , Iranian EFL academic context , Vision Series , FES , checklist