HOW TO ANALYZE A COURSEBOOK UNIT | Help Line for ELT Teachers

Analyzing a Unit in a Course Book

In this video, the speaker discusses how to analyze a unit in a course book to determine if it needs any adaptation and if it is in line with the curriculum. The speaker uses grade 7 unit 2 as an example and compares it to the syllabus provided by the Ministry of Education.

Syllabus Overview

• The national curriculum has implemented the principles of CEFRL.

• The syllabus includes four columns: unit/theme, functions and useful language, language skills and learning outcomes, suggested contexts tasks and assignments.

• The last column gives a general idea of what kind of texts and contexts can be used in coursework.

Course Book Analysis

Sports Unit

• The course book's title matches that given in the syllabus.

• Warm-up activities involve recalling previous knowledge on similar topics covered before.

• Vocabulary teaching activities focus on collocation.

• Reading activity requires adaptation due to its general question lacking guidance for students' schemata activation.

Dialogue Activity

• Scanning questions are relevant but "read and listen" instruction is not necessary for a reading activity.

• Filling out forms based on dialogue is an effective activity.

Warm-up and Post-Activity

The warm-up activity is not necessary as it does not bring anything new to the classroom. Any activity can be a pre-activity if it is relevant to a coming one. The post-activity is a categorization activity that recycles newly learned words.

Warm-up Activity

• The warm-up activity itself lacks guidance and is too general.

Post-Activity

• The post-activity is a categorization activity that recycles newly learned words.

• Students categorize sports as indoor/outdoor, team/individual.

Speaking Part

This part brings in more words that are not listed in the syllabus. It's unclear whether these words are commonly used or frequently used vocabulary items.

Speaking Part

• This part brings in more words that are not listed in the syllabus.

• There's an error in the instructions for this part of the lesson.

• Teachers need to be alert and correct mistakes immediately.

Interview Activity

The interview activity itself is good, but there are issues with clarity and instruction.

Interview Activity

• Instructions need clearer steps for students to follow.

• Completing table for themselves

• Asking questions of at least three friends and filling in table

• Teacher should leave students to manage classroom situation while answering questions.

Reading Activities

The warm-up activity is too general and lacks necessary guidance. The following activities are scanning activities.

Reading Activities

• Warm-up activity is too general and lacks necessary guidance.

• Students can look at photos in the course book and names of athletes to identify sports branches.

• Students read paragraphs about athletes and check their answers.

• Following activities are scanning activities.

Frequency Adverbs Activity

This activity focuses on the use of frequency adverbs.

Frequency Adverbs Activity

• Fill in the blanks activity where students practice the use of frequency adverbs.

• Successful athletes blank lose their motivation

• Choices are never, sometimes, often, usually, always

• There's no one correct answer.

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