Choosing English Coursebooks For Our School Students Based On Needs Analysis

In this thesis, on the theory basis of coursebook evaluation and needs analysis, the author held a research on how to choose an English coursebook for the students in author's school--- a secondary vocational school based on needs analysis. On the basis of research on the theory, the author poses her hypothesis: An English coursebook chosen on needs analysis is suitable for the students in a secondary vocational school. To give a proof to the hypothesis, to know the importance of needs analysis in coursebook choosing, Class 177 and Class 178 are chosen for the experiment, in which Class 177 is considered as an experiment class, while Class 178 as a control group. Class 177 and Class 178 have been taught English by the author at the same time. Questionnaires, interviews, and test, etc are used to identify the students'needs in the research. And in order to know which coursebook is suitable for the students, the two coursebooks--- college English (Revised)(Book one) and New Horizon English Course (Book one) are evaluated under the criteria of evaluation which is established on needs analysis. The evaluation includes in-use evaluation and post-use evaluation. The in-use evaluation involves whether the aims of the coursebook, the level of difficulty of the coursebook, the topics and practical contents are suitable for students'needs, etc. The post-use evaluation involves the collection of the opinions of the students and teachers toward the two coursebooks. On the foundation of comparative analysis of the two coursebooks and the result of using the two coursebooks in the two classes, the author proves her hypothesis: The coursebook New Horizon English Course which is chosen on needs analysis is more suitable for the students than the coursebook college English (Revised)(Book one) which is chosen not on needs analysis. So we can draw a conclusion that needs analysis play an important role in English coursebook choosing, and to some extent, improve students'learning. English coursebooks choosing should be based on needs analysis in the school---a secondary vocational school.