EVALUATING THE SUITABILITY OF LITERARY TEXTS IN GRADE ELEVEN-TWELVE STUDENTS’ ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS AT FENOTESELAM PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of literary texts being offered in grade eleven-twelve new English textbooks. To achieve this objective, qualitative research design was employed. The participants of the study were grades eleven-twelve Students’ English textbooks and all six English teachers in the target school. All participants of the study were selected through available sampling techniques. In order to get valid and reliable data, textbook analysis and semi-structured interview were used as data collection tools. The findings of the study revealed that some literary texts like short stories and extract of novels tried to recognize the students’ cultural background and linguistic ability. On the contrary, of the literary texts, poetry did not take into consideration most of the parameters like the students cultural aspects, literary background and linguistic proficiency. Besides, English teachers were viewed that some of the literary texts in the students’ textbooks are not suitable for language teaching in EFL class room. Moreover, most of the literary texts incorporated in such English Textbooks lack well designed activities to integrate the four language skill so as to reinforce the intended major language skills; the number of literary texts is unbalanced. Poems occupy the highest position and the other literary texts, like short story and extract of novels take the lowest position. Besides, this study also disclosed that there is no well constructed pre, while, and post reading activities for some of the literary texts. Based on the findings, textbook writers and teachers should consider the students cultural background, linguistic ability, literary background and also they should incorporate other literary texts by applying in-depth supervision of literary texts as it helps to foster students language proficiency.