REVIEW PAPER

81'243
371.671:811.111
DOI:10.5937/ZRFFP46-12094

BILJANA B. RADIĆ-BOJANIĆ1,
JAGODA P. TOPALOV2
UNIVERSITY OF NOVI SAD
FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES

TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM:

DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING3

ABSTRACT. The aim of this paper is to define textbooks, analyze their advantages and
disadvantages and to explicate the process of textbook selection and
reasons for analyzing textbooks. The paper describes two reasons for
performing a textbook analysis: evaluating for potential and evaluating for
suitability, and further states various processes of textbook content analysis
including the analysis of the stated aims and objectives, learner needs, their
abilities and preferences, as well as the establishment of criteria in relation
to previously set objectives. The paper concludes by stating that the task
that teachers are faced with when selecting and evaluating textbooks is not
that is an easy one, but it is crucial. With the assistance of clear guidelines
and detailed criteria, they should be able to make an informed decision and
choose a textbook that is most suitable for the requirements of their specif-
ic classroom context.
KEY WORDS: textbook, assessing, evaluating for potential, evaluating for suitability,
selection criteria.

1
radic.bojanic@ff.uns.ac.rs
2
jagoda.topalov@ff.uns.ac.rs
3
The paper is the result of research conducted within project no. 178002 “Languages and cultures
across time and space” funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic Serbia.
This paper was submitted on September 2, 2016 and accepted for publication at the meeting of the
Editorial Board held on September 29, 2016.

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INTRODUCTION

Textbooks are undoubtedly the most popular teaching materials

used in foreign language classes. Therefore, it is highly significant
that textbooks include the essential elements of language and
culture and that they correspond to learners’ needs, cultural back-
ground and level of linguistic proficiency. Accordingly, it is vitally
important to help teachers choose the most appropriate ones for
their classes.
This paper aims at defining textbooks and presenting advantages
and disadvantages of using them in class. Moreover, it sheds light
on the process of selecting textbooks and reasons for analyzing
textbooks.

DEFINING TEXTBOOKS

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a textbook is

defined as “a book that teaches a particular subject and that is used
especially in schools and colleges” (OALD, 2000, p. 1238). In accord-
ance with the given definition, EFL textbooks aim at providing
learners with necessary knowledge, language skills and informa-
tion about English speaking countries and preparing them for
interaction with people from foreign countries and of different
cultural backgrounds. Textbooks usually combine contemporary
and traditional approaches to language teaching. They incorporate
concepts such as ‘learner development’, a ‘task-based methodolo-
gy’, and ‘cross-curricular themes’ while providing a grammar
framework and a thorough practice of vocabulary, grammatical
structures and functions (Hutchinson & Gault, 2009, p. 4). They
have been primary teaching instruments for most students since
the 19th century.
Hutchinson and Torres (1994, p. 315) state that “the textbook is
an almost universal element of (English language) teaching.
Millions of copies are sold every year, and numerous aid projects
have been set up to produce them in (various) countries… No teach-
ing-learning situation, it seems, is complete until it has its relevant
textbook.” Sheldon (1988, p. 237) argues that textbooks symbolize
“the visible heart of any ELT program” and they offer significant

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 TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING

advantages for both students and teachers. In his view, students’

opinion is that published materials (textbooks) are more trusted
than home-produced photocopied teachers’ resources, which are
regarded as less valid. Their view is based on the fact that textbooks
are written by eminent experts in the field of language teaching.
The effects of using a particular textbook, therefore, depend not
only on its promoted approaches and methods and its content, but
also on the expectations of the learners and the general view of
textbooks in the learners’ culture.
Cortazzi and Jin (1999) refer to a textbook as a teacher, a map, a
resource, a trainer and an authority. As a teacher, a textbook gives
students relevant information about grammar and vocabulary, as
well as English speaking countries and their cultures. As a map, it
shows an outline of linguistic and cultural elements as a structured
programme and it guides students and teachers to follow the steps
taken in previous lessons. A textbook is viewed as a resource as it
contains a set of materials and activities available to the teacher
from which one can choose. It can also be a trainer for novice
teachers who need valuable instructions, support and guidance. As
an authority, a textbook is seen as valid, reliable, written by experts
and authorized by important publishers or ministries of education.
In Cunningsworth’s view (1995, p. 7), the roles of textbooks are
identified as:
– an effective resource for self-directed learning and self-study;
– a valuable resource for presentation material (written and
spoken);
– a source of ideas and activities for learner practice and
communicative interaction;
– a reference source for students;
– a syllabus;
– a support for less experienced teachers to gain confidence and
demonstrate new methodologies.
In addition to that, he claims that
“no course book will be totally suited to a particular teaching situa-
tion. The teacher will have to find his own way of using it and
adapting it if necessary. So we should not be looking for the perfect
course book which meets all our requirements, but rather for the
best possible fit between what the course book offers and what we as
teachers and our students need” (Cunningsworth, 1984, p. 6).

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Hutchinson and Torres (1994) refer to textbooks as effective agents

of change, playing a significant role in innovation. They indicate
that textbooks introduce change gradually within a structured
framework and create a supportive environment for teachers in
potentially disturbing change processes, helping them to feel more
confident to demonstrate new methodologies and relieving them
from the burden of responsibility for introducing change. They
argue that textbooks have a vital importance in teaching the
English language, especially at an elementary level, and they
become even more important in periods of change. Gray (2000)
defines textbooks as “ambassadorial cultural artifacts” (Gray qtd.
in Litz, 2005, p. 7) and says that students can improve their
language skills by using them as a useful means in order to stimu-
late discussions and cultural arguments.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

OF USING TEXTBOOKS

EFL textbooks cause a number of reactions, which often oscillate

between two extremes, representing arguments and counterargu-
ments for textbook usage in the classroom.
Well-known linguists and authors such as Sheldon (1988), Hutch-
inson and Torres (1994), Cunningsworth (1995), Cortazzi and Jin
(1999) and others share the opinion that textbooks are necessary
tools for language teaching and learning. On the one hand, they
help students improve their language skills, learn about the subject
content, and become familiarized with the cultures and way of life
of people from foreign countries. On the other hand, textbooks can
help teachers as well, serving as a teaching programme and a
support for less experienced ones to gain confidence, test new
methodologies, and become aware of the pedagogical issues.
Researchers such as Allwright (1981), Porreca (1984), Cathcart
(1989), Clarke and Clarke (1990), Carrell and Korwitz (1994) and
Renner (1997) express contrary views, arguing that textbooks lack
authentic texts since they depict preferences and biases of their
authors and therefore may generate misjudgement, misconcep-
tions, prejudices and stereotypical representations of people from
other countries. In their view, such teaching materials are not suit-
able and convenient for classroom usage.

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 TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING

In addition to the above mentioned groups of linguists, there are

a number of authors whose attitude towards textbook usage lies
somewhere between the two extremes (e.g. O’Neill, 1982; Prodro-
mou, 1988; Alptekin, 1993; Graves, 2000; Harmer, 2001). They claim
that textbooks represent merely a framework for one’s teaching,
which can be reinforced by additional materials based on the needs
and preferences of a specific group of students.
The majority of teachers feel secure using a textbook as a basis
for their lesson plans. They consider it convenient to have a text-
book as a teaching aid since the texts and tasks provide a sense of
security about what should be taught in class. Textbooks and
instructional materials should aim at raising novice teachers’
awareness of pedagogical issues. Less experienced teachers can use
the textbook as a framework of reference as they slowly become
more attentive to individual student needs. With time they can
introduce more variety in the materials they use and the tech-
niques they employ. According to Eisner (1987, p. 12), not only does
a textbook define a considerable amount of the content, arrange-
ment and aims of the curriculum, but it also influences the way in
which certain topics are presented. Allwright (1981, p. 8) argues
that language learning is such a complex process that textbooks
cannot meet various needs of learners around the world. There is
no perfect textbook that meets the needs of all students, teachers,
schools and curricula. Each textbook has its own strengths and
weaknesses and, consequently, no textbook designed for general
market can be perfectly suitable for a specific group of learners.
Teachers’ opinion on the same textbook may differ depending on
their experience, background, teaching styles and the needs of
their students. In Graves’ view (2000, p. 175), “what one teacher
considers an advantage in a textbook, another teacher may consid-
er a disadvantage.”
Most teachers have traditionally been taught to view a textbook
as an end product, instead of a starting point for their teaching.
According to O’Neill (1982, p. 110), textbooks provide only a core or
a base of materials, a jumping-off point for a teacher and their
class. They can serve as a grammatical and functional framework
which leaves enough space for improvization, adaptation and a
spontaneous and creative interaction in the classroom. Using a
textbook reduces the chance of gaps in learning and the learner is
always certain where the course is going, since there is a clear
structure from the beginning to the end. In Harmer’s view (2001, p.

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8), textbooks are merely proposals for action, not instructions for
use. Teachers should look at the proposals and decide whether they
agree with them or not.
On the other hand, Allwright (1981, p. 9–10) claims that text-
books are too rigid and they mirror the pedagogic, psychological
and linguistic predilections and biases of their authors. Textbooks
impose, determine and control language learning and teaching
methods, techniques, approaches, procedures and processes. The
advocates of authentic language in the classroom such as Cathcart
(1989) argue that besides cultural and social biases, the representa-
tion of the target language in textbooks is unnatural, inappropriate
and unauthentic and such language models and dialogues do not
prepare students satisfactorily for real-life situations. In their view,
textbooks give unrealistic representations of real-life situations as
they contain relatively few examples of authentic texts and
dialogues (Cathcart, 1989). Furthermore, such a view might lead to
misconceptions regarding the target society and its culture and
might be dangerous for those who expect to interact with native
speakers on a regular basis. The authors and researchers such as
Porreca (1984), Florent and Walter (1989), Clarke and Clarke (1990),
Carrell and Korwitz (1994) and Renner (1997) consider textbooks to
be socially and culturally biased as they contain evident examples
of sexism, stereotyping and gender bias, specifically in terms of
sexist and unrealistic characterization of both men and women,
under-representation and disregard of female characters and ster-
eotypes regarding occupations, relationships, actions and roles in
society (Porreca, 1984; Florent & Walter, 1989; Clarke & Clarke,
1990; Carrell & Korwitz, 1994; Renner, 1997). Prodromou (1988) and
Alptekin (1993) consider target language culture to be a vehicle for
teaching the language in textbooks and they claim that it is not
possible to teach a language without embedding its cultural base.
They argue that such a process impels learners to express them-
selves within a culture they know very little about, which may
cause stereotyping, prejudices, misconceptions and sometimes
unwillingness to learn. In Alptekin’s view (1993, p. 138), most text-
book writers are native speakers who consciously or
subconsciously impart the values, beliefs, attitudes, views and feel-
ings of their own English-speaking society. It is crucial, therefore,
that teachers develop their own critical thinking and intercultural
competence in order to be able to deal with potential cultural
conflicts and stereotypical presentations in textbooks. As the

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 TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING

majority of a country’s culture is for the most part invisible,

present in seemingly unmarked everyday interactions, a teacher’s
responsibility goes beyond that of the textbook’s author, as only
the teacher can mediate between the text and the specific culture
within the classroom.
In order to avoid prevalent bad sides and disadvantages of
instructional materials, it is necessary to carry out a systematic
analysis of textbooks based on well-established criteria and deter-
mine their strengths and weaknesses. Experts such as Joiner (1974),
Sheldon (1988), Skierso (1991), Cunningsworth (1984, 1995), Byram
(1997), Byrd (2001), Brown (2001) and Kilickaya (2004) have provid-
ed various manuals and checklists for textbook analysis, from
which a teacher can choose according to one’s needs and prefer-
ences.

REASONS FOR TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Textbook analysis can be carried out in two directions: the analysis
of selected textbooks in order to determine whether they are suita-
ble or not for classroom usage, i.e. predictive analysis, and the
analysis of textbooks that are already in use, i.e. retrospective anal-
ysis (Skopinskaja, 2003, p. 39). Using a slightly different
terminology, Cunningsworth (1995, p. 15) describes how textbooks
can be evaluated for potential and for suitability. In the first case,
the textbook is assessed according to a predefined set of criteria,
but without any particular learners or courses in mind. This
approach is more frequent when a new textbook is published and
may result in book reviews being written. However, since class-
room situations introduce many unknown elements and require
constant adapting on the side of the teacher, this type of analysis
has its flaws as the textbook cannot be matched to a particular class
or group of students. On the other hand, the evaluation of text-
books for suitability is always done with a certain audience in mind.
In this case, as Cunningsworth (1995, p. 15) stipulates, there are
very specific learning objectives, learners’ backgrounds, resources
available, etc. In practice, it can be said that both types of analysis
are done equally frequently and sometimes the same textbook is
analyzed first for potential (before it is used in class, as the teacher
is selecting a textbook for the upcoming academic year) and then
for suitability (while it is used in class, so the teacher can confirm

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 COLLECTION OF PAPERS OF THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY XLVI (3)/2016

that the choice he/she made was correct). In case the textbook is
assessed positively in both of these situations, then it will be used
in future; in case the evaluation for suitability proves that the text-
book does not comply with all the needs of the learners, then the
teacher has a clear signal that another textbook should be chosen.
Of course, a variety of other factors such as school policy, contracts
with publishers, etc. make the switching of the textbook difficult or
impossible, but that is beyond the scope of this paper.

CRITERIA FOR TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS

Textbook analysis is not an easy task as it includes several process-
es. Firstly, textbook content needs to be analyzed in reference to its
specified aims and objectives, e.g. to what extent teaching areas
like grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing and culture is
present in a student’s book, teachers’ manual and activity book. In
addition, it is important to determine whether, for example, cultur-
al information is taught in a particular context (texts, exercises,
dialogues) or as isolated facts. Secondly, textbook content should
be examined in terms of learners’ needs, abilities and preferences.
Thirdly, the criteria of analysis need to be established in relation to
previously set objectives, e.g. to determine to what extent cultural
content matches the suggested criteria of textbook analysis
(Skopinskaja, 2003, p. 44).
Saville-Troike (1982, p. 8) suggests a combination of quantitative
and qualitative methods of content analysis. In her view, “qualita-
tive and quantitative to the study of culturally situated
communication are not mutually exclusive, and each can and
should inform the other.”
Although Fraenkel (1996) and Saville-Troike (1982) suggest that
content analysis in textbooks is objective and reliable, Sheldon
(1988, p. 245) argues that “it is clear that textbook assessment is
fundamentally a subjective, rule-of-thumb activity, and that no
neat formula, grid or system will ever provide a definite yardstick”.
In his view, establishing uniform evaluative criteria might help to
make textbook analysis more objective than it is at present.
Furthermore, a retrospective analysis may test the validity of a
predictive analysis and point out which steps should be taken to
improve it (Skopinskaja, 2003, p. 43).

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QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Quantitative analysis is defined as ‘a type of research where the
results are shown in the form of numbers or percentages’ (Long-
man Business English Dictionary, 2000, p. 411). A quantitative
analysis is a study in which a researcher applies scientific proce-
dures in order to discover the answers to his/her questions,
examining measurable and verifiable data. Various procedures are
applied in order to reduce the possibility of partial and irrelevant
answers to the questions asked and to increase the probability of
relevant and impartial information (Perez Sanchez, 2011, p. 27).
However, in practice most teachers do not have time to conduct
a detailed quantitative analysis of textbooks, either for potential or
for suitability, even if they follow a set of criteria. This type of anal-
ysis is done much more frequently by researchers who are looking
to assess various approaches in, for example, teaching grammar,
vocabulary, skills, elements of culture, etc. The type of analysis that
in-service teachers resort to much more often is qualitative analy-
sis, which is addressed in the next section.

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Qualitative analysis is defined as “a type of research that aims to
find out people’s attitudes or opinions about something, where the
results cannot be shown in numbers” (Longman Business English
Dictionary, 2000, p. 411). This method is used to investigate the
reasons and modes of decision making while the data obtained
describe certain types of information (Perez Sanchez, 2011, p. 27).
Textbook evaluation checklists are often used as the criteria of
qualitative analysis.
The literature on textbook analysis offers a number of checklists
as evaluation criteria suggested by authors such as Joiner (1974),
Cunningsworth (1984), Sheldon (1988), Skierso (1991), Byram
(1994), Brown (2001) and Kilickaya (2004). They agree that evalua-
tion checklists should have criteria referring to the physical
characteristics of textbooks such as layout, logistical and organiza-
tional features, as well as those referring to methodology, aims,
approaches to teaching and cultural information.
Cunningsworth (1995, p. 15–17) proposes four guidelines of text-
book evaluation, according to which an evaluation checklist was
developed:

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1) textbooks need to match the objectives of language learning pro-

gramme and they should correspond to learners’ needs;
2) textbooks should be chosen to help students use the language ef-
fectively for their own purposes;
3) textbooks should facilitate the learning process without impos-
ing ‘rigid’ learning methods;
4) textbooks should mediate between learners and the target lan-
guage thus supporting the learning process.
Cunningsworth’s checklist (1995) comprises eight main categories:
aims and approaches, design and organization, language content,
methodology, skills, topic, teachers’ books and other practical
considerations. Each category contains four to seven checking
items. Moreover, Cunningsworth suggests two approaches to text-
book analysis, an in-depth approach and an impressionistic
evaluation. On the one hand, an in-depth approach is used to deter-
mine how particular features of textbooks are dealt with, such as
syllabus requirements, learners’ needs, teachers’ role, aspects of
language, etc. This approach uses a comprehensive checklist as a
tool for analysis. On the other hand, an impressionistic evaluation
is used as a preliminary step to determine whether a selected text-
book is suitable or not before a detailed analysis is carried out. In
his view, a combination of both approaches would be most effec-
tive.
Sheldon’s evaluation guide (1988, p. 242) contains seventeen
categories of suggested textbook criteria: rationale, availability,
user definition, layout/graphics, accessibility, linkage, selection/
grading, physical characteristics, appropriacy, authenticity, suffi-
ciency, cultural bias, educational validity, stimulus/practice/
revision, flexibility, guidance and overall value for money. Each
category contains two to seven questions that represent “some
points around which our thoughts can crystallize” (Sheldon, 1998,
p. 242). His checklist is focused on text authenticity, appropriate-
ness and cultural bias, pointing out that teachers should pay
attention to stereotypes, misconceptions and offensive images
regarding gender, race, nationality and social class in textbooks.
Sheldon explores cultural and social topics further, asking if the
views of Great Britain and the USA are realistic or difficult social
topics such as poverty, unemployment, racism, and family break-
downs are left out. In his view, judging by the same criteria, the
same textbook could be rated as ‘successful’ in one context, but not

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in another. The rating depends on a teacher who carries out the

analysis and on his/her preferences and subjective judgement, and
there are no evaluative parameters that would be supported by all
teachers.
Skierso’s checklist (1991, p. 444–452) is certainly the longest and
the most encompassing one covered by the literature on textbook
analysis. The updated version is eight pages long and certain
sections and topics for consideration are used and modified by
other authors. Skierso identifies a number of elements that need to
be determined before the analysis is carried out, which contain
necessary information on students, teachers and the educational
institutions. She supports Cunningworth’s idea (1995) of an impres-
sionistic evaluation or first-glance evaluation as a survey that could
help eliminate inappropriate or unsuitable textbooks from the
selection process (Skierso, 1991, p. 435).
Brown (2001, p. 142) suggests an evaluation form that can be
used as a practical set of criteria for either choosing a textbook for
a course or evaluating the textbook that is currently used. In his
view, it is necessary to carry out a thorough evaluation procedure
in order to choose a textbook that completely meets the estab-
lished evaluation criteria. Brown’s checklist consists of twelve
categories that contain one to seven topics for consideration. The
categories in the checklist include mostly general criteria of
analyzing textbook content, such as:
– goals of the course;
– background of the students (age, native language and culture,
educational background, motivation or purpose for learning
English);
– theoretical approach (theory of learning and theory of
language);
– language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing);
– quality of practice material (explanations, clarity of directions
and active participation of students);
– sequencing (by grammatical structures, skills, situations or by
some combination of the above);
– vocabulary (relevance, frequency and strategies for word
analysis);
– format (clarity of typesetting, use of special notation (phonetic
symbols, stress/intonation marking), quality and clarity of

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illustrations, general layout, size of the book and binding,

quality of editing, index, table of contents and chapter
headings);
– supplementary materials (workbook, audio and video tapes,
posters, flashcards, a set of tests);
– teacher’s guide (methodological guidance, alternative and
supplementary exercises, suitability for non-native speaking
teacher and answer keys) (Brown, 2001, p. 142).
Brown’s checklist (2001) is regarded as the most comprehensive
one by many as it includes both general and specific criteria of text-
book analysis and it covers a variety of factors important in foreign
language teaching.

CONCLUSION Within the state school system, teachers are not properly trained
how to choose, adapt, evaluate and use the textbooks according to
their students’ needs. For that reason, the textbook selection proc-
ess becomes one of the most challenging tasks for them. Most state
schools in Serbia choose textbooks based on what is offered and
made available by well-known publishers. However, this process of
preparation, selection, approval and publishing textbooks is regu-
lated by the Law on Textbooks and Other Teaching Resources
(2015). Textbook series used in schools in Serbia need to be
published and approved in accordance with the Law and textbook
publishers have to obtain a publishing licence issued by the Minis-
try of Education, Science and Technological Development. The
Minister of Education gives approval of textbooks guided by the
suggestion of the National Education Council, which is based on
expert assessment of textbook quality provided by the Institute for
Educational Development. The register of approved textbooks for
the upcoming school years is published in the catalogue of the
Ministry of Education and the choice of particular textbooks for
every school subject is put in the hands of the Teachers’ Councils in
each school. Therefore, it is necessary to educate teachers how to
choose the most appropriate textbooks for their students, since the
final step of the selection process is based on their own judgement.
Since 1970s there has been a change of perspective regarding the
teaching and learning methods and techniques, which has put the
learner in the centre of the educational process. Therefore, it is
best to consider textbooks as aids for achieving goals and objectives

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 TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING

that have already been determined by learner needs. According to

Brown (2001, p. 137), textbooks should always be ‘at service’ of
teachers and learners although they do not necessarily set the
teaching and learning goals. For that reason the teachers’ task is to
establish a variety of criteria for textbook analysis in order to select
the most appropriate ones for classroom usage that will fulfill the
students’ needs. Sheldon (1988, p. 237) states that the selection of a
textbook indicates a significant “administrative and educational
decision in which there is considerable professional, financial and
even political investment” and therefore it is of vital importance to
establish the criteria of textbook analysis. Moreover, the analysis
would help the teachers to recognize the strengths and weaknesses
of the textbook which is already in use. The selected textbook
should suit the goals, aims, methods and approaches of the
language syllabus. According to Cunningsworth (1995, p 7), one
should make sure that “careful selection is made, and that the
materials selected closely reflect (the needs of the learners and) the
aims, methods, and values of the teaching program”. Similarly,
textbook analysis may help teachers to gain an accurate and
systematic insight into the overall nature of textbook material,
serving as a means of research on the topic thus giving them the
opportunity for personal growth and professional development.

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 COLLECTION OF PAPERS OF THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY XLVI (3)/2016

БИЉАНА Б. РАДИЋ-БОЈАНИЋ
ЈАГОДА П. ТОПАЛОВ
УНИВЕРЗИТЕТ У НОВОМ САДУ
ФИЛОЗОФСКИ ФАКУЛТЕТ
ОДСЕК ЗА АНГЛИСТИКУ

РЕЗИМЕ УЏБЕНИЦИ У НАСТАВИ ЕНГЛЕСКОГ ЈЕЗИКА:

ДЕФИНИСАЊЕ, ОЦЕЊИВАЊЕ И АНАЛИЗИРАЊЕ

Циљ рада јесте да дефинише уџбенике и анализира предности

и мане њиховог коришћења у настави страног језика, као и да
представи процес одабира уџбеника и разлоге за њихову анали-
зу. У раду се најпре дају дефиниције уџбеника из перспективе
кључних аутора у овој области и интерпретирају се њихови при-
ступи, а затим се уџбеници анализирају спрам потенцијалних
улога које имају у настави страног језика. Рад се даље усмерава
ка тумачењу предности и мана коришћења уџбеника у настави и
наглашава се тренутно најутицајнији став у литератури и пракси
према којем уџбенике треба посматрати као референтни оквир и
почетну тачку за планирање часова и извођење наставе. Пажња
се даље усмерава ка принципима анализе уџбеника и наводе се
два основна разлога због којих се ова анализе врши: анализа по-
тенцијала уџбеника, која се врши како би се установило у каквим
контекстима и са каквим ученицима би уџбеник могао да се ко-
ристи, као и анализа усклађености, која се врши како би се утвр-
дило да ли одређен уџбеник одговара потребама конкретних
ученика за које се уџбеник бира. У раду се даље наводи да анали-
за уџбеника подразумева неколико процеса међу којима су ана-
лиза наведених циљева, потреба ученика, њихових способности
и склоности, као и анализа усклађености са претходно поставље-
ним циљевима. У складу с тим, даје се кратак преглед две истра-
живачке парадигме према којима се анализа врши: квантитатив-
не и квалитативне. На основу дефиниција, описаног процеса
процењивања и одабира уџбеника, може се закључити да је у пи-
тању задатак који наставницима страног језика није нимало лак
због чега је неопходно да за то буду адекватно обучени и при-
премљени. Имајући у виду предности и мане уџбеника који про-
цењују, индивидуалне потребе, стилове, способности и потребе
својих ученика, али и циљну културу која се у уџбеницима пред-
ставља у мери која је мање или више објективна, наставници би,
уз коришћење јасних смерница и детаљних критеријума требало

152 BILJANA B. RADIĆ-BOJANIĆ, JAGODA P. TOPALOV

 TEXTBOOKS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: DEFINING, ASSESSING AND ANALYZING

да донесу праву одлуку и одаберу уџбеник који у највећој мери

одговара конкретним захтевима присутним у настави страног
језика.
Кључне речи: уџбеник, оцењивање, анализа потенцијала, анализа усклађено-
сти, критеријуми за одабир.

BILJANA B. RADIĆ-BOJANIĆ, JAGODA P. TOPALOV 153