Evaluating the listening tasks in the new English textbook for grade 9 entails how they enhance students’ listening skills

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to assess the listening activities in the new grade 9 English student’s textbook and determine if they are relevant to the high school context in which they are implemented. Besides, the study aimed to examine the variety of exercises, the clarity of instructions, and the alignment of objectives. To get reliable data from the subjects, the study used a descriptive research approach. The investigation was conducted using a combination of methodologies. Random sampling and availability techniques were used to select the population. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. Using a checklist, all of the textbook’s newly added grade 9 English listening portions were examined. The entire set of findings showed that, in addition to gaps in task design and current classroom conditions, the recently produced English textbook does not take into account the context or the available inputs that the language class needs. The investigation also found that the tasks are repetitive and do not require a lot of input. It is advised that the Ministry of Education and material designers incorporate a variety of listening exercises, instructional and non-instructional, taking into account the various high school contexts. This will enable students to hone their listening skills using a variety of approaches.