GEDIZUNIVERSITY izmir Seyit Ömer Gök 12 Dec 2013

What is innovative in this textbook? Context Findings of Pre-use & In-use evaluation Q & A

* 4-level series * Components for Students 1.Student’s Book 2.Workbook 3.Writing Skills Interactive * Teacher Resources 1.Teacher Support Resource Book with CD-ROM 2. Class Audio CD 3. Teacher Support Website

* research-based * content-rich * contextualized grammar * students of North American English. * focuses on the grammar structures most commonly used in North American English * an emphasis on the application of grammar structures to academic writing. * practices all four skills

What Makes Grammar and Beyond Different? * Corpus-based information * Common mistakes sections * Writing practice in class

- Izmir Gediz University Prep School -750 students - Modular System (CEFR) / 2 month each / B2 exit level -At the beginning of the academic year: 60 % - A1 25 % - A2 10 % - B1 5 % - B hour per week in each module

A1 - Grammar&Beyond 1 (16 hour) + Grammar&Beyond 1 WB (3 hour) LL Elem (9 hour) 2 Readers (2 hour) A2 - Grammar&Beyond 2 + Grammar&Beyond 2 WB (22 hour) LL Pre-Int (8 hour) 2 Readers (2 hour) B1 - Grammar&Beyond 3 + Grammar&Beyond 3 WB (18 hour) Q-Skills 2 Reading (8 hour) Contemporary Topics Intro (4 hour) 2 Readers (2 hour) B2 - Grammar&Beyond 4 + Grammar&Beyond 4 WB (18 hour) Q-Skills 3 Reading (8 hour) Contemporary Topics Intro (4 hour) 2 Readers (2 hour)

PRE-USE IN-USEPOST-USE Adapted from McGrath 2002

‘Pre-use evaluation involves making predictions about the potential value of materials for their users’. Tomlinson 2003, 23 ‘In-use evaluation is most reliable when it draws on the experiences of several teachers and several groups of learners’ (McGrath 2002, 15).  ‘Post-use/retrospective evaluation’ carried out to weigh up the effects and outcomes of the materials (Ellis 1997; Tomlinson 2003; McGrath 2002 )  ‘the most valuable’ type of evaluation (Tomlinson 2003)

 Evaluative Case Study Central Phenomenon: The coursebook series  Mixed-Methods: ‘QUAN + QUAL’ (Dornyei 2007, 169) Interpret: Interpretation based on quantitative and qualitative results -Questionnaire (Quantitative) -Interview -Direct Observation -Video Stimulated Recall Qualitative

1.To what degree does the coursebook series meet the needs, wants and interests of the end users, namely teachers and students? 2. What are the attitudes of the teachers and students towards the coursebook series?

* In-class observation + VSR (7 teachers) * Semi-structured Interview (9 teachers) * Semi-structured Questionnaire (4-point Likert Scale / 45 items in total) (160 students) * Semi-structured Questionnaire (4-point Likert Scale / 81 items in total)(14 teachers) * Focus-group interview (19 students)

Grammar and Beyond Level 1 A1 Module

The grammar structures are given in context, so the students can be asked to deduce the functional meanings of grammar topics. In the writing section, the students go beyond sentence level and see themselves in real practice. This is a big plus, I suppose. Avoid common mistakes are very useful as showing what is grammatically incorrect is a good way to teach what is grammatically correct. I personally liked the ‘avoid common mistakes’ part. It is like a FAQ section of a website. Grammar charts are embedded well into the units. Contextualized Integration of Writing Design Activities

The reading texts at the beginning of each unit are at times more demanding than the subject to be taught. The book is too loaded considering the allocated time period. The students are not given enough time to digest and master the grammar topics. The passages are long and a little complex at times. Not enough pair&group work activities. It is a good idea to integrate writing into grammar; however, the writing section of the book is unnecessarily too detailed. Level Activities Pacing Writing Content

POINTS: 1 = STRONGLY DISAGREE 2 = DISAGREE 3 = AGREE 4 = STRONGLY AGREE TEACHERS The font size and type used in the book is appropriate for my students. 7 %0 %50 %43 % STUDENTS The font size and type used in the coursebook is appropriate for me. 0 %8 %42 %50 % GENERAL APPEARANCE

TEACHERS The learners can see easily what they have to do. 7 %0 %57 %36 % STUDENTS I can understand easily what I am expected to do throughout the coursebook. 9 %29 %50 %12 TEACHERS The language used is at the right level for my students’ current English ability in general. 36 % 14 % STUDENTS The language used is at the right level for me.11 %34 %41 %14 % DESIGN AND LAYOUT LEVEL

TEACHERS The level of the vocabulary is appropriate for the students' level. 29 %14 %57 %0 % STUDENTS The vocabulary in the coursebook is suitable for my level.4 %32 %46 %18 % TEACHERS The grammar points are presented with brief and easy examples and explanations. 14 %29 %43 %14 % STUDENTS The grammar items are presented clearly in the coursebook.7 %29 %42 %22 % The vocabulary is too demanding and the sentences are complicated. I had to simplify the texts and grammar points. LEVEL (VOCABULARY) GRAMMAR PRESENTATION

TEACHERS The book raises my students' interest in further English language study. 36 % 28 %0 % STUDENTS The book raises my interest in further English language study.18 %37 %26 %9 % MOTIVATION

*Almost half of the students in A1 Level want to have explanations in Turkish. *Some of the students and teachers would like to have a revision part after every three units. * Most of the students inteviewed said that they found the ‘avoid common mistakes’ and ‘writing sections’ the most useful for themselves. They also stated that the book improved their writing skills best.

* Some of the teachers found the grammar charts unnecessary. However, the students said that these charts help them a lot. * The teachers and students find the book too intensive to be covered in eight weeks. * The teachers said that the ‘avoid common mistakes’ parts highlight the mistakes which are very similar to the ones their students usually make.

* The writing tasks require students to use certain structures, which sometimes constrains the students. * The listening tasks are used only for checking the answers.

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