Spark 3 Based on Criteria Designed by Alan Cunningsworth jolanda gjergji

7.5 Learning situations
Spark 3 is intended to be used in classroom setting with learners of English at Elementary Level which is the corresponding level for EFL learners of the 8th grade of Albanian secondary school. The textbook has an Albanian edition. This version of the book it is not suitable for use in any country because it is adapted for Albanian pupils. It is not intented to be used in primary schools since the level is very difficult for them, also it is not appropriate to be used in universities because of the easy level.
7.6 Comparisons with any other material evaluated.
Both the textbooks Spark 3 and Of we go 8 are intended for 8^th grade students. As for the textbook organization and structure, the textbook Spark 3, is easier to orient. The table of content involves an overview of modules with page numbers, sections, and language content. On the other hand, Of we go 8, does not name the chapters, it just present the topics and a section named Gammar focus. There is a column named ‘Page’ which is left blank. The table of contents involves also a section named Revision and Extend your reading in a blue color which also divide chapters from each another. Spark 3, in the first page of each module informs students
what they will learn in the particular module, whereas Off we go 8 does not.
Spark 3 has 8 modules that are further divided into 7 sections: Vocabulary, Reading, Grammar, Skills, Everyday English, Across cultures/curriculum, and Writing. Off we go 8 has 5 chapters and is organized into units. It has 20 units, 4 units for each chapter. Different to Spark 3, Off we go 8 is divided into 9 sections: Reading, Comprehension, Communication, Learn to form new words, Vocabulary, Grammar, Listening activity, Translation, and Public speaking. The topics of the chapters are not related in Off we go 8, whereas the topics in modules of Spark 3 are. Module 2 in Spark 3 is about ‘natural phenomena’ and the subject mater of each section are about this. Chapter 1 of Off we go 8 has the following topics: ‘The tale of eagle’, ‘Global Traffic Jam’, ‘Television’, ‘Albanian hospitality’ whic has no relation with each other.
Spark 3 has sufficient materials for each section and integrated well the language skills. Different to Spark 3, Off we go 8 has only one or two exercises for each that are not enough to practice the new items presented. There is no section of ‘Writing’ in the textbook Off we go 8. Despite the sections ‘Comprehension’ and ‘Communication’, Off we go 8 overemphasize grammar and as a student who used this textbook I would say that there is no real communication of language at all. On the contrary, Spark 3 has various activities for communicative interactions in most of the sections. Moreover, it has one section named ‘Everyday English’ which provides students with various activities to develop their language skills and communicative abilities.
Both have a vocabulary list with a phonetic transcription. At the end of Spark 3 there is a vocabulary list categorized by modules and the English meaning of the words. Off we go 8 contains a word list in the end of each unit with the translation into Albanian. The new vocabulary is not presented adequately in Off we go 8, the activities require students just to translate words into their mother tongue. There is not sufficient practice of new vocabulary items. On the other hand, Spark 3 provides students with various activities to practice new vocabulary items. Spark 3 is better than Off we go 8 at providing students with a feeling of progress in the ‘Self-Check’, which may encourage them to sudy more. Spark 3 includes a ‘Pronunciation’ corner. Different to Spark 3, Off we go 8 does not include pronunciation.
Last but not least, both textbooks include cultural issues, so that the students do not learn
only the language but also interesting information about different countries. However, Off we go 8 is more close culturally to the learners since it includes cultural aspect of Albania such as: ‘The tale of the eagle’ and ‘Albanian hospitality’.