“Universal Characteristics of EFL/ESL textbooks: A step towards systematic Textbook evaluation”

Hasan Ansary and Esmat Babaii

Criticized by : Khumaidah

In February 2002 a TESL journal “Universal Characteristics of EFL/ESL textbooks: A step towards systematic Textbook evaluation”, Hasan Ansary and Esmat Babaii at the Shiraz University presented the study about the common- core characteristics of standard EFL/ESL textbooks by using checklist approach. It discussed about whether or not a de facto consensus exists all over the world and what makes a good standard EFL/ESL textbook. Besides, the discussion is for looking for some theory-neutral, universal and broad consensus-reached characteristic of EFL/ESL textbooks and also for drawing up some guidelines for the generation as well as systematic evaluation of EFL/ESL textbooks and the last for a graphically represented mode of EFL/ESL textbook analysis.


Hasan Ansary and Esmat Babaii (Shiraz University), in his article “Universal Characteristics of EFL/ESL textbooks: A step towards systematic Textbook evaluation” say that no textbook is perfect. Teachers should be more careful in taking the materials for the students. They should base on the suitable purpose and needs and be used judiciously. By using the 10 EFL/ESL textbook evaluation schemes and 10 EFL/ESL textbooks reviews, the study has stated that there is a limitation to teach the materials which can be expected to do for us because for getting the complex satisfaction in managing the language learning is difficult to get. In this study the researcher has described that however perfect the textbook is, it is just tool in the hands of the teacher. It depends on the teacher what will be done with the textbook