Malaysian Teachers’ Perceptions on Cambridge English Textbook Evaluation Checklist for Materials Adaptation: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

A textbook evaluation checklist is pivotal when evaluating a textbook as it delineates principles of material development deemed crucial for effective teaching and learning. Beginning of year 2018, imported textbooks have replaced locally produced textbooks in stages. This is an attempt made by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) to improve the standards of English while benchmarking the curriculum against the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). To effectively adapt the textbooks to suit the Malaysian context, teachers were introduced to a textbook evaluation checklist by Cambridge English during a Learning Materials Evaluation, Adaptation, and Design course (LMAD). Hence, the purpose of this preliminary study is to find out the views of teachers in using the checklist for materials’ adaptation. A total of six teachers from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have taken part in this study. An online qualitative interview was conducted using Mobile instant messaging (MIM), WhatsApp, and coded into themes using Nvivo (v.12). The interview revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the checklist. Findings of this study lay the foundation to improve or develop a textbook evaluation checklist suitable for the Malaysian context.

Keywords: textbook evaluation checklist, Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), Macmillan’s Pulse 2, online qualitative interview, mobile instant messaging (MIM)