A Systematic Evaluation of EST Textbooks in JapanYU YanSHI Jie

Division of Informatics and Engineering
University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo)
School of Global Studies, Tama University
yu@tama.ac.jp

Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering
University of Electro-Communications (UEC Tokyo)
shi.jie@uec.ac.jp

Introduction
ESP is a growing area of EFL at tertiary level in Japan. In ESP, theappropriateness of teaching materials is a crucial factor (Canado& Esteban, 2005) of the success of curricula and learning.
Theoretically, the most appropriate teaching materials should be
developed by the ESP programs and/or ESP practitioners for thespecific group of students based on reliable needs analysis. Inreality, however, commercially available teaching materials areutilized by many ESP courses due to various factors such as
limited resources and time. Some reputable textbooks aredeveloped by professionals and expert writers in the fields and cansupport the teachers lacking the expertise in students’ fields ofstudy. However, teaching material is a problematic area
(Gatehouse, 2001). It is even regarded as an educational failure.
The cause of this failure is considered either to be the textbookitself or the ESP practitioner who chooses the textbook (Swales,1980). Due to lack of experiences (Porcaro, 2013), some ESP
teachers are likely to choose inappropriate teaching materials. The
inappropriateness could be caused by the following mismatches:

Results

3.5

3

1. Main results of basic level

2.5

2
3.5

5
4
32
10

1.5
3

1

0.5

2.50

monolingul

bilingual2

authentic,scientific and technicalliterature

1.5

Fig 1. Medium of Instruction
Fig 9. Text Types & Language
1864
20.5

605
unspecified0university
students in Japan

topicalThe above-mentioned potential problems indicate why choosing
appropriate materials is not only necessary but also essential
especially for low level EFL students. It is equally important for
ESP practitioners to adopt a flexible approach to selecting
teaching materials. When mismatch happens caused bycompulsory teaching materials such as textbooks, ESP
practitioners must be equipped with a variety of teachingmaterials, e.g. reference books, online sources, real life materials
in students’ field of study and utilization of students choices of
their own materials to study. Equipped with these choices, ESP
practitioners can make a quick fix of any problems caused byinappropriate teaching materials. In addition, the benefit is thatmost updated content materials could be implemented. Anotherbenefit is, in this process, students’ motivation could be improved.
Currently in Japan, there are many published materials, such as
textbooks, ESP reference books and professional sources.
However, systematic evaluation of such materials is lacking which
poses difficulties to ESP practitioners when choosing ESP
textbooks. This research aims to focus on ESP material analysis
for two reasons. First, teaching materials are considered byprevious researchers to be very important to meet students’ needs
in ESP (Edwards, 2000). Second, disciplinary needs and subject
content are also regarded to be crucial (Hutchinson & Waters,1987). Thirdly, the results of a systematic overview and evaluationof the bestselling textbooks for EST (English for Science andTechnology) courses at tertiary level in Japan are reported.

(ESP) genrebased
Fig 2. Types of Syllabi

students intechnical or
vocationaleducation,company
employees,

elementary andpre-intermediate
learners in
professional
context, tertiarylevel

4321Fig 4. Target Level706543210Fig 10. Main Types of Exercises/Activities

computersciencemechanics
biomedicalphysics
hi-techneuro-physics
engineering
technology for future
healthoccupational…
management Mismatch in proficiency level, i.e. materials areeither too difficult or too easy.
 Mismatch in content area
 Mismatch in course structure and textbooks, e.g.
textbooks are mostly designed for students to use in
one year for local contents. They do not matchskill-based syllabus.
 Mismatch in teacher’s interests and students
interests
 Mismatch between course goals and evaluation ofstudents achievements

authentic, ICT literature

Fig 3. Main Content Areas

3. Analysis of “Professional English in Use:
Engineering”: The textbook of the TechnicalEnglish Program of UEC Tokyo
Fig 5. Types of Text and Language

Target students: Professional engineers; Students of engineering
Medium of Instruction: English
Types of Syllabi: Topical (Theme-based)
Main Content Areas:
Design, Measurement, Materials Technologies, Manufacturing andAssembly, Static and Dynamic Principles, Energy and Temperature,Fluids, Mechanisms, Electricity
Target Level: Intermediate of upper intermediate (B1 to B2 in theCommon European Framework)

Types of Text and Language:
Authentic, scientific and technical literature; simplified scientificreadings, short genre-based texts, lots of charts or graphics

Main Types of Exercises/Activities:
Filling in blanks using words or charts, oral report of designated concepts,
grouping words and concepts, T or F, matching, spelling games, replacing
expressions in texts with alternative words and phrases, completing texts
with correct wordsAnswer Key: Yes
Appendixes: 13 (Three-dimensional drawings, Shapes, Units ofmeasurement, Chemical elements, Structural elements and types of load,Moments, Vapor, cooling and thermal inertia, The electromagnetic
spectrum, Pipe and hose fittings and valves, Siphonic action, Managing
rotary motion, Electrical and electronic components, Sensing, measuring
and regulating devices)
Index: Yes

Fig 6. Main Types of Exercises/Activities

2. Main results of intermediate level

Methods
 Systematic investigation on current, available, published or commercial
EST teaching materials for EFL students at Japanese universities isconducted.
 The following aspects are used as a framework to categorize, document,analyze and evaluate the textbooks:

 type of syllabus
 main content areas
 target proficiency level types of texts and language (e.g. authentic, simplifiedscientific reading) focuses of language skills
 main types of language exercises and activities forvarious purposes supplementary materials
 Textbooks are organized into two groups:
 textbooks of basic level textbooks of intermediate level Subsequently, the analysis of one of the main textbooks adopted by theTechnical English program of UEC Tokyo is done using similar
categories as mentioned above.

Discussion and Conclusion

Fig 7. Main Content Areas
2.5

21.5

10.5

0

intermediate learners in intermediate, tertiarytechnical and industrial
level
specialisation, tertiarylevel
Fig 8. Target Level

References
Channal, M.A., Soranastaporn, S., Engchuan, K.S., and Tirataradol, Y., “A study of needs,problems and wants of using English of Engineering students at Quaid-e-Awam university ofEngineering, Science and Technology, Pakistan,” Journal of Education and Practice, vol.4,No.3, pp. 18-26, 2013.
Edwards, N., “Language for business: effective needs assessment, syllabus design and materials
preparation in a practical ESP case study,” English for Specific Purposes, vol. 19, pp. 291296, 2000.

intermediate upperintermediate-advanced
level, university
students, adulteducation

 Limited EST materials compared with general EFL textbooks
in Japan Lack of serialization: difficult to build EST programs
 Benefits to use content-based textbooks for teachers without
specified knowledge of the students: the same results byChannal, et al. (2013) Less English-only ESP textbooks than bilingual ESP textbooks
at basic or introductory level Topical and grammar-based syllabuses: more common
 Need to consider the balance between content area andlanguage competence of the textbooks
 Need to have more discussion-based, critical-thinking-based,
and skill-based activities

Gatehouse, K., “Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum Development,”
The Internet TESL Journal, vol. 7, No. 10, October 2001.
Hutchinson, T. and Waters, A., English for Specific Purposes, Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Perez Canado, M. L. and Almagro Esteban, A., “Authenticity in the Teaching of ESP: AnEvaluation Proposal,” Scripta Manent 1 (1), pp. 35-43, 2005.
Porcaro, J. W., “Teaching English for Science and Technology: An Approach for Reading withEngineering English,” English Teaching Forum, No. 2, pp. 32-39, 2013.
Swales, J., “ESP: The Textbook Problem,” The ESP Journal, vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 11-23 1980.