ESL Textbook Evaluation Assignment: Middle School English 2, South Korea

I am an ESL teacher in South Korea and enrolled in a TESOL masters program. The following essay assignment evaluates the textbook Middle School English 2 (Korea). It is the book that is used by all Korean public middle school students, grade 2, countrywide. This review is based on criteria of good materials outlined by Brian Tomlinson in the introduction to his book Materials Development in Language Teaching (which is one of the most interesting textbooks I have ever been required to read).

Materials Should Provide Impact and Materials Should Take Into Account That learners Differ In Affective Attitudes: Middle School English 2 has novel content including unusual topics and activities. There are 12 chapters in the book. The titles of the four chapters I am the most impressed with are: Beauty is Only Skin-deep, I Wish There Were No Pollution, Women in Sports and Let's Look on the Bright Side.

In the chapter Beauty is Only Skin-deep, the book addresses the fact teenagers are often not satisfied with their appearance, feeling among other things too fat or too ugly, and how these feelings can have a negative effect on their daily lives and emotional well being. This is a universal theme for teenagers and is a topic that is of interest to them because they are always looking in the mirror and talking about their looks at school. The chapter also addresses that sometimes life seems unfair and that it may seem that other students have an advantage that you deserve. In the book they specifically mention, "I'm better at computer programming than Laura, but she is the leader of our computer club" (p.49). The chapter dialog and exercises focus on talking about your situations to your friends and adults close to you and giving advice. In this chapter the book gives the students insight that they are not alone in feeling this way and that despite their feelings of inadequacy they are worthy of love and good grades.