Speakers
Description
Teaching materials significantly influence both the content and pedagogical methods employed by teachers, especially in the 21st century when teachers have to design innovative instruction to face the age of digital learning. Life coursebooks by National Geographic Learning are used in many universities in Vietnam with the expectation that they will assist learners in developing their communication skills and critical thinking in a global community. This study aims to examine teachers’ perspectives on the pedagogic approach underlying the textbook “Life Pre-intermediate” within the context of digitalization. Data were collected from fourteen EFL teachers who have been teaching this textbook at four universities in Ho Chi Minh City. A qualitative research design was employed through semi-structured interviews whose transcripts were coded and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results show the strengths and weaknesses of the textbook from teachers’ evaluation. A great number of activities in the textbook personalized tasks for students’ engagement, challenged the students, provided opportunities for revisions, and fostered students’ cultural awareness. More importantly, the textbook incorporated blended activities that stimulated student interests and promoted independent learning with the online self-regulated learning system, MyELT. However, the study also identified limitations in the coursebook regarding skill coverage, activity diversity, teacher guidance, cultural relevance, and student preferences and experiences. These findings can serve as valuable insights for teachers and educators, enabling them to gain a comprehensive understanding of the textbook and make necessary adjustments to align with their specific teaching contexts, particularly in the digital age.
