An Analysis of New Spark English Reader for Grade VI

Abstract

This thesis entitled An Analysis of New Spark English Reader for Grade VI is an attempt to analyze the textbook in terms of its physical aspects, academic aspects,the needs and interest of the learners. In the process of this study, the researcher collected data from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources of data were the English teachers who are teaching Spark English Reader and students who are being taught it as a textbook in different parts of Nawalparasi District. The main secondary source of data is the textbook itself. In order to collect the data, two sets of questionnaire have been prepared for the teachers and students. Apart from this, the researcher himself studied the textbook in detail. The obtained data have been tabulated and analyzed using a simple statistical tool. The findings of the study are based in teachers’and students’ perceptions on the textbooks. The findings are the textbook incorporates interesting reading; data based on factual information derived from native Nepali and English culture, and it is able to motivate the learners. The textbook to a great extent exhibits authenticity of reading materials on 70% of respondents agree with it. It incorporates some para orthographic text such as table and diagram and there fore, it provides the learners with a wide reading experience. Glossary, a very important part of a language textbook is not given; all teachers and students have negative response on it. The exercise is sufficient for the students in developing academic skills since 70% of the respondents agree with it. The present study is divided into five major chapters. The first chapter deals with a brief introduction to the English language, textbook and its importance, types of textbook, theoretical framework of a textbook, of textual analysis and qualities of a good textbook.The second chapter X deals with review of related literature. The third chapter deals with the methods and procedures of the study adopted to carry out this research work under which the design of the study, population and sample (for quantitative study) or field/areas of the study (for qualitative study),sampling procedure, data information collection tools, data information collection procedures and data analysis and interpretation procedures are presented.The fourth chapter includes with result and discussion,analysis and interpretation of data collected from different sources. This chapter is divided into four sections; the first section deals with the teacher’s responses on the qualities of a textbook and then the second section deals with teachers’open responses on the qualities of the textbook. Similarly, the third presents students’response on the qualities of the textbook. The last section describes students’open responses on the qualities of the textbook. The last chapter consists of findings derived from the result and discussion,analysis and interpretation of the textbook. Finally some conclusions, implications (policy level, practice level, further research)have been made for its further improvement. The supportive materials such as, questionnaire and their responses are presented in the appendix section of thesis.