Investigating Inside Reading Textbook Series: Lay out and Coherence in Focus

Abstract

The attempt of this research was to analyze Inside Reading Textbook Series in terms of layout and coherence. Twenty male and female EFL teachers who had been teaching these series were selected to be interviewed about their ideas on these textbooks. The results of the study showed that 5 out 16 reading texts were in the area of students' interest since their topics were in relation with the culture, society, tradition and history. Three of the texts were reported lacked students' interests (from instructors' attitudes) due to the fact that they were both about unfamiliar topics that students did not have any background information about and were not related to the students' cultural, social or historical background. Almost all mentioned reading texts were perceived very intriguing and considered apt for students' level of comprehension or vice versa. All the visual aids which were used considered to be highly purposeful; however, two of them, among all, as stated by teachers, were not useful. The style of written format as well as the size of the readings passages were seen particularly appropriate for learners too.