Spark 3 Based on Criteria Designed by Alan Cunningsworth jolanda gjergji

Chapter 7
Overall evaluation

There are several suggestions to which help teachers to arrive at an overall picture of a particular textbook. The evaluation can take part in a general way or with reference to one particular class of students as in this case. Here are some to consider: objectives, meeting aims, strengths, weaknesses, any notable omissions, learning situation and a comparison with any other material evluated.

7.1 Objectives
The material has CLIL objectives stated in the first page of each module. By the end of each module, the students should:

1. 
   Learn new vocabulary items through contextual-topics.
   
2. 
   Learn new grammar items.
   
3. 
   Improve their communicative competence in the language.
   
4. 
   Improve their writing skills.
   

7.2 Meeting aims
Spark 3 mostly meets its aims successfully. Listening task mimic authentic speech by employing conversation strategies. Learners have many chances to develop listening and speaking skills while expressing their own ideas. Communicative tasks came before form-focused tasks.
7.3 Strengths
Spark 3 possess several advantages over the old series. The most important advantage is the textbook had brought about positive changes in the way English was taught at Elementary Level,
making it significantly more communicative and effective. Other strengths are: it has varied, realistic, relevant, interesting and update topics and texts. The layout is clear and has beautiful visual illustrations which afre stimulating. It has balanced coverage of language skills and integrates them well. The textbook it corresponds to students’ need since it is based on language functions and real language use. It Allows regular revision and self-study. The glossary it is very helpful. The last but not least, grammar is contextualised and interesting.

7.4 Weaknesses
In the other hand, there are also problems, for example: objectives which are presented in the front page of each module, are presented in the form of listing of what is going to be included in the following module. Teaching pronunciation non-communicatively is another weakness. There are no communicative tasks for students to practice sounds in connected, natural discourse. Also, tests should be a combination of communicative and discrete item tests.