An exercise in course-book evaluation: Strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations regarding New English file: Elementary

Often overlooked and reduced to a quick and shallow ‘flick test’, materials evaluation is a necessary skill for English Language Teachers to acquire. It serves the logistical purpose of making an effective selection of materials that cater to their students’ needs as well as their own, and puts them in contact with opportunities for further development of their practices based upon the contents and activities found throughout the evaluation process of a given teaching material. The purpose of this article will be then, to conduct an exercise in materials evaluation using Oxford University Press’ New English File series. By making a review of the different theoretical stances and experiences on the matter, it will be possible to develop a series of criteria with which to conduct a structured, qualitative evaluation. Based on the results of the application of the aforementioned criteria, it will be possible to conclude on the suitability of this teaching material on a particular context