An Evaluation of Vision 1, English Text-book

With the central role of textbooks, particularly, in centralized educational systems such as that of Iran where a single textbook is recommended for nation-wide use, evaluation textbooks, esp. whilst-use evaluation, can highlight points of strength and weakness in a book and pave the way for its improvement in later editions. The present study set to evaluate Vision 1, English textbook for year 10 in the new Iranian educational system. To this end, a questionnaire taken from Ahmadisafa et al. (1396) was distributed among 150 English teachers (selected from different provinces of the country through convenience sampling). Furthermore, 20 of the above teachers responded to a researcher-designed semi-structured interview involving: 1) general evaluation of the book, 2) advantages of the book over those previously used, 3) viewpoints of the teachers' over realization of the aims of the book, 4) its points of weakness, and 5) the teachers' suggestions for improvements in its later editions. The results indicated that the teachers were relatively satisfied with: 1) supplementary materials and teacher's book, 2) grammar, vocabulary and language functions, 3) content and language skills, 4) tasks and exercises, 5) design and layout, and 6) teaching methodology. However, the interview revealed the teachers' relative dissatisfaction with the book, with most of them considering the book unsuccessful in fulfilling the set objectives.