An Analysis Of Lotus English Reader for Grade Seven

Abstract

This research attempts to find out the physical as well as academic aspects of the textbook ‘LOTUS ENGLISH READER -7 which is being used in different private schools in Nepal. The findings of the book have been made on the basis of teachers, students and the researcher’s observations and the theoretical framework for the textbook analysis. For this purpose, the researcher himself studied the book in detail and prepared questionnaires containing 35 closed ended and 7 open ended items for the teachers and 23 closed ended and 4 open ended items for the students (see Appendix-B &C). Then the questionnaires were administrated to the randomly selected 5 teachers who were teaching the textbook and they had at least three years' experienced in English language teaching and 75 students who were studying the same textbook. The selected teachers and the students were of private schools of Morang district. Both types of the questionnaires were concerned with the physical and academic aspects of the textbook. The researcher also developed an observation form and observed the teaching and learning activities of the same teachers and students intending to know about the textbook. There were 28 statements with four options in each observation form (see “Appendix-D). The obtained data were studied, tabulated and analyzed using a simple statistical tool percentage. The study has found out that the physical aspect of the textbook is good. The book is based on the communicative approach of language teaching and learning. Different language functions are provided to fulfill this approach. Vocabulary items and structures are selected and graded well. The exercise included in this book participate the learners in pair and group works. Despite this, the textbook also has some shortcomings which have been mentioned in the chapter four. This thesis contains four chapters. First chapter introduces the study in terms of general background, review of related literatures, objectives and the significant of the study. Chapter two deals with the methodologies adopted for the study under the sources of data, sample population, tools for data collection and limitations of the study. Chapter three deals with the analysis and interpretation of the data obtained from the respondents. It consists of three parts. First part deals with the interpretation and analysis of the data obtained from the teachers. Second part deals with the analysis and interpretation of the data from the students. And third part deals with the interpretation and analysis of the data obtained from the class observation with the observational form by researcher. Chapter four lists the findings and recommendations made by the researcher.