A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL ENGLISH COURSEBOOK FOR GRADE NINE-LEARNING ENGLISH THE CASE OF LICHINGA AND CHIULUGO SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This study entitled ‘A Critical Evaluation of the National English Coursebook for Grade nine Learning English the case of Lichinga and Chiulugo Secondary Schools.’ The objectives of this study were: first, to examine the extent to which the grade nine learner’s Learning English coursebook suits the level for which it has been designed. Second, to examine whether the Learning English coursebook for grade nine objectives match grade nine syllabus objectives. Third, to identify if language skills in the course book match with learners need and interest. Fourth, to examine whether the content covered in the coursebook is appropriate to the learners’ level. Lastly, to asses if Mozambican culture items are integrated in the coursebook for grade nine. For data collection, it involved 140 learners of both sexes attending grade nine at Lichinga and Chiulugo Secondary Schools alongside four teachers of English from both institutions who were submitted to questionnaires. Additionally, the researcher used a checklist for a close assessment of the characteristics of the coursebook. The data was interpreted and analysed in percentage terms to enable the researcher to find out the patterns and meanings in numerical data. The study showed that the coursebook, Learning English for grade nine, is suitable for this level. However, it also revealed that the activities suggested for each lesson are so many that, in reality, they can hardly be fully covered within the ordinary lesson time, and illustrations are not attractive, particularly for adolescent learners. Therefore, in the light of these identified drawbacks, teachers using the course book should select the most essential material for their learners and also prioritize speaking and listening activities in the classroom. They should also bring into classroom authentic materials, such as pictures, photos, realia to supplement Learning English grade nine coursebook.