A Comparative Study Of Coursebook Evaluation In Terms Of Task-based Language Learning

Playing a vital role in the teaching of College English, teaching materials determine in a great degree the teaching methods and class models of College English. Textbook evaluation is of significant importance for both teaching and learning. Task-based language learning (TBL) is gaining popularity in China because it aims to enable the learners to use the language themselves in real situations outside the classroom. This study sets out to conduct an informed post-use evaluation of two general College English coursebooks intended for Non-English majors, College English (new) ( Book Two), published by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press in 2002, and New College English (Second Edition) ( Book Two), issued by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2005. The aim of the evaluation is to find out to what degree the two coursebooks are task-based.This paper firstly attempts to explore the experts' theories on Task-based Language Learning (TBL). Also some related theories concerning materials evaluation are offered. Based on the researches in TBL and approaches of evaluation, a checklist is developed in terms of TBL and thereafter is applied to evaluate the two coursebooks we chose. The evaluation adopts a procedure of three phases: 1) an in-depth analysis of the materials, 2) a retrospective evaluation by a representative group of its student and instructor users, and 3) suggestions for the possible adaptations and teaching application derived from the findings of the survey. The information generated from this study could be very beneficial, as such an evaluation can help current teacher users of the two coursebooks adapt it more effectively and the set of evaluation criteria developed from this study could provide a useful guide for teachers on how to carry out their own evaluation.