English Textbook Challenge in Jordan: An In-Depth Analysis

Published textbooks are widely used as a main source for learning English language in countries like Jordan. The Jordanian learners often complain about the difficulty of learning English using the textbooks which are changed every few years. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the textbooks, identify the potential problems, go beneath the authors’ claims and their attractive designs, and provide insights about the textbook and the analysis process. The researchers analyzed the content of the Jordanian textbooks using the in-depth analysis method. A criterion-based checklist was used to analyze a sample of the published textbook “Action Pack 12”, and the chosen sample was Unit 6. The study revealed significant findings about the role of the learners which was to “respond” rather than to “initiate”, and most of their expected production was based on the word and/or sentence level. Moreover, the role of the teacher in providing useful, relevant input was not emphasized in the textbooks. Furthermore, this study guides English textbook writers and publishers on how to involve useful content in their published language materials, such as extended discourse, interactive linguistic activities, and interesting activities for creative thinking and critical thinking skills to enhance the quality of English language learning.