Robert starts out by presenting some questions he had read on the moretprs listserve:
On the moretprs Yahoo group, one of the members made inquiry about dealing with a textbook adoption and questions for textbook company representatives. I replied with some questions of my own. Below are the original query (used by permission) and my reply. Perhaps others who are facing a textbook adoption may find it useful.
From Sara Chronister on the moretprs Yahoo group, Sunday, April 13, 2014, 2:16 pm:
We are in the process of textbook adoptions (bangs head on desk) and I need someone more articulate than I to help draft my questions for them. The Department Chair has told us we are going to use Realidades. I used that book 5 years ago when I first started teaching and it hasn’t changed a bit. When I asked the sales rep about it she said, “We’ve updated the pictures but the basic layout is the same because that’s just what works.” We have another meeting and I’d like to ask more questions but I don’t know how to phrase them.
1. There seems to be no attempt at adapting to research that says CI is the best way to teach and not thematic, vocabulary driven units. (And when she comes back with something about me needing to use the vocab/themes to make it CI what do I say?)
3. No attempt at adapting to the research that says to shelter vocab but not grammar. The vocabulary lists are still very long and, ultimately, not very useful to students as the vocab is not usually in the top 1000 most used words. (What do I say when she comes back with saying that without vocabulary lists the students won’t be able to learn the language?)
3. I’d like a question that uses ACTFL guidelines but I’m still a little unsure what that website is to us FL teachers.
4. Research shows that CI and reading are the two of the top ways to learn a language; not worksheet drills; yet you are presenting us with 3 workbooks. This tells me that Pearson is not looking to improve their fundamental structure; simply to change the colors and hope it fools the buyers.
[Ed. note: Robert’s questions will appear in subsequent articles in this series]