Abstract

Over two hundred thousand failed Part-I English in Annual Examination conducted by eleven Boards in 2014 (Punjab, FBISE, AJK Board) (Gul, 2016). One reason of such a large scale failure may be an inappropriate content of the textbooks. The study assumed that the content of Grade XI English (Compulsory) Textbooks did not cater to the interests of the students. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected by Questionnaire from 500 randomly selected students. The analysis demonstrated that content of the subject textbooks evoked antagonistic feelings in the learners which cause failure. The study suggests that a course-content that arrests and maintains attention of learners by designing such activities as are absorbing and inspiring is mandatory to make class environment lively and learning conducive. It is high time that we upgrade the standard of our English textbooks because to be poor in English costs substantially high due to its comprehensive market.

Key Words

Students’ Interests, Content Textbooks

Introduction

Nature has blessed human beings with a unique faculty of imagination and memory both of which are immensely valuable in storing, integrating and reinventing ideas; this proposition has seeds of the evolution of man's fortune in the universe. As a token of love for his species, from times immemorial, man has made every effort to transmit significant ideas to his progeny. Moreover, the ability to communicate experiences and share insight with his children has proved pivotal in his journey from crude to systematic knowledge. The present e-books or printed matter are hoped to become a common heritage of humanity from which all benefit regardless of colour, caste or creed  (Vonnegut, 2009).

Textbooks have always been a source of information, knowledge and wisdom to the people. As knowledge is boundless, so through textbooks, the cherished wisdom of a nation is passed on to the next generations. On another level, textbooks selected for academic purposes symbolize the outlook of life one aims to spread (Johnsen, 1993).

A good textbook is, undoubtedly, an efficacious device for language learning. A textbook prepared after a well-devised plan comprises activities based on a well-conceived context. A textbook composed by a writer of consummate skill seems to make the students feel confident of their success and promotes a sense of achievement. Moreover, there cannot be found a better instrument than a good textbook for revision and reinforcement of guidance and content.  Furthermore, a textbook has a lot of colourful illustrations and interesting phrases has far more chances of grabbing and maintaining the attention of students  (Razmjoo, 2007).

Like other 3rdworld countries, Pakistan, too, is beset with the poverty problem which is the basic cause of negligence in the preparation of textbooks. As the poor people have little say in education policies, the textbooks for government schools and colleges are compiled presuming baselessly that the teachers have the necessary level of competency to deliver the knowledge contained therein the textbook. However, the reality is quite the opposite; the content seems alien to the teachers, especially in rural areas. Owing to a huge gap between the expected dexterity and the actual incapacity, learners get no benefit from the textbooks. Moreover, if a textbook has an activity practically impossible to be carried out, it loses its effect and the teachers and the learners both feel thwarted by the sheer ignorance of the author. Therefore, it seems imperative that the authors of the textbook should consider the material conditions of the learners for whom their book is written. Secondly, the training programmes stressing the value of other materials than textbooks have an adverse effect on the perceptions and behaviour of the teachers towards the textbook.  (Mohammad & Kumari, 2007)

In today’s world where distractions abound and digressions in the form of newer Apps, handy smartphones and impromptu talk on social media catching and spreading glamour, teaching has become a challenging job. So in the present age, students are already obsessed with a flux of thinking when they enter the classroom! That makes the task of modern teachers a stupendous one as they have to grab the attention of the students who are lost in their own worlds and are ready, in no way, to leave that world of fantasy. Even much harder than it is to keep them stuck to what the teacher has to convey and it is so significant for society. At present, English teachers working at higher secondary levels, throughout the country, give vent to their helplessness in promoting and maintaining the motivation of the students because the given textbooks fail to attract learners’ interest because of inappropriate content chosen for them.

Research affirms the view that it is possible to add interest to the language learning process and a learning process can be turned into an enjoyable exercise provided that teachers enlighten and entertain simultaneously.

All across the globe, language teaching has really become fun through designing books or materials as inspire, engage and most importantly involve the learner cognitively. Therefore, the subject matter to be presented in the textbooks of language learning is given exceedingly high importance as it is the very thing that brings about the cognitive involvement of the learner. As learners are emotionally attached to their local culture, it seems evident that inclinations, yearnings and ideas of life relevant to the age group embedded in their own culture can make the classroom lively and vibrant. Moreover, systematic and scientific gearing up of the content seems necessary so that it may reach the required demands of language learning enunciated in the National Curriculum for English Language Grades I-XII, 2006 (referred to as ‘ the Curriculum’ in this document). Hopefully, strenuous scrutiny, before the furnishing of textbooks regarding the suitability of content will be a successful venture in arousing the interests of learners, thus inspiring them to read for pleasure—the best means of intrinsic learning. As mainstream teachers lack the ability to design by themselves really useful text material, good textbooks can prove handy instruments for teachers and learners alike. Most of the teachers agree that textbooks are a befitting bridge between the students and the target language. Therefore, deep pains taken in designing good textbooks are always rewarding. Dr Hitomi Masuhara, a prominent lecturer at the University of Liverpool, agrees to it that good textbooks engage and inspire learners by keeping their flexibility and effectiveness.  (Masuhara, 2011)

In this regard, it must be noted that ‘the Curriculum' has reserved at least twenty-three pages (120-142) providing clear and detailed directives for good textbooks along with prescribing Students' Learning Outcomes. It makes imperative to all those who happen to play any role in the development of textbooks that they select appropriate content for textbooks aimed at preparing inter-level students to attain the desired competency. The Curriculum impinges meticulous and meaningful parameters which, if kept in mind while selecting contents, can make the textbook of English greatly useful (p 161). The task of textbook writing or compiling must be taken earnestly and the writers and compilers must remember that firstly the material should be appropriate to the age and level of the learner after it has been thoroughly adapted and tailored to attain efficiency in the target language. Any objective judgment made on this criterion, the subject textbooks remain utterly unfulfilling to the language learners.




Introduction to the Subject Textbooks (Books under Study)

The present textbooks introduced in 2006 replaced the textbooks which had been taught to college students, for 34 years, since 1972. The annual examination of 2007 was the first examination conducted on these subject textbooks.

The course contents for Grade XI English (Compulsory) comprise fifteen short stories, twenty poems, and three one-act plays (Appendix D). The content is distributed in two books, Book I and Book III.  Book I consists of fifteen short stories and Book III contains twenty poems and three plays. These are the textbooks for Grade XI students of colleges affiliated to the nine Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in the province of Punjab, AJK Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mirpur, and Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Islamabad.

We will see how far the writers of Grade XI English (Compulsory) Textbooks (published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board, Lahore) have followed the instructions of the curriculum while selecting and compiling the content for subject textbooks.




Statement of the Problem

The textbooks fall short of arousing the attention of the students as the contents do not cater to the interests of adolescence and this is doomed to the poor performance of students. 




Research Objective

The purpose of this research paper is to evaluate closely the concordance between the contents of Grade XI English (Compulsory) textbooks and the interests of Grade XI students.




Research Question

The study aims at answering the following question;

How far is the content of Grade XI English (Compulsory) textbooks consistent with the interests of the learners?




Significance of the Study

As the 20th century has witnessed ever growing importance of English in the entire world where market realism and consumerism reign supreme, therefore in my study, I have taken pains to raise awareness about an under-researched and under-estimated issue of improving the standards in English through designing textbooks on the lines suggested by the critical theorists and practitioners of this very language. The main focus of this study is to suggest ways that can turn the uninteresting content of textbooks into a lively, authentic and engaging one. I also recommend to those who are given such an important task as to write textbooks that they realize their responsibility and work with devotion and sincerity.




Delimitation of the Study

The population of the study is scattered throughout the province of the Punjab, AJK, and Federal Board-affiliated colleges across the country and abroad. The study delimited itself to students of colleges in Rawalpindi due to financial and time constraints.

Review of Literature

Around the seventies, research scholars started studying the importance of diagnosis of language materials and the subject held its significance, though it failed to get more attention, in the eighties. In both decades, there can be seen a few articles and papers appeared in many important journals of the era like ELT Journal and Modern English Teacher. The authors were stressing on the need of improving language teaching materials and those papers were just raw research. However, in the mid-nineties, the issue caught more significance and books appeared on the academic horizon; they were based on systematic research and provided practical guidance of material development that can prove fruitful for the learners. In this regard, the USA had been a pioneer and there a valuable guide was published which could immensely help anyone who intended to write a textbook because it had suggestions regarding the aptness and usefulness of specific material  (Byrd, 1995). Soon England, too, followed the example of the USA and books containing useful guidelines regarding the appropriateness of course books started appearing  (Cunningsworth, 1995). Graves argued it is teachers who are the real course developers and his research focused on the characteristics of good material that could prove best for learners. He also suggested some procedures to be followed in materials development  (Graves, 1996). A great number of books appearing in the early 2000s highlighted entirely fresh and innovative research on the selection of appropriate material while designing course books and the researchers were propounding their ideas throughout Europe (Fenner & Newby, 2000). The books thronging the academic vista were better in providing exhaustive guidance about curriculum development and laid greater stress on the importance of materials development  (Richards, 2001). Even, they had explicit references as to how better material can be designed along with objective evaluation of materials. The course designers not only gave special importance to the evaluation and adaptation of materials but also recommended materials supplementing textbooks to be compulsory. Subsequently, such propositions were presented that could be called the most pragmatic in materials design  (McGrath, 2013).  At present, almost all writers of eminence composing or compiling good books on language learning have realized the suitability of teaching methodology and the aptness of materials development. They feel that the latter can be carried through illustrations (McDonough & Shaw, 2012). Today, contrary to the situation in the seventies, there is a wide diaspora of studies on material development. Promising an ample improvement in the learning process, abundant literature on the subject of the significance of choosing the appropriate content is being published every day.

Undisputedly, the content of textbooks plays a very crucial role in language learning, as it is the stepping stone to a successful journey in the realm of learning. Any material that gears students' engagement enhances their ability to communicate and creates a feeling of being one with the content surely leading to a real learning experience.

Most of the studies carried out on textbook content affirm the significance of teaching material and all the scholars have almost unanimously advised strongly that by making the contents concordant with the students' interests, the learners’ immediate eagerness to communicate can be enhanced. The relevance of topics with the learners’ social surroundings of the learner plays a pivotal role in the language learning process by empowering the learners with such tools as come in handy and help them to utilize those instruments in the dynamic learning process  (Cummins, 1994). 

A prominent critic, McKay urged the content developers that they must choose those topics which are a staple part of the learners’ local culture because such topics can stimulate them to express their feelings and thoughts by creating a sense of belonging with the given topics. She claims that every country has a claim of being the owner of the language it thinks fit to teach and a right of choosing a pedagogy that can prove beneficial in fulfilling the learners' needs. She further argues in favour of the representation of local culture which makes the learners feel proud of their own culture and they feel at home communicating in the target language whatever they feel about their own culture. Local writers having mastery of the idiom of the target language must be assigned the task of content development in language learning as the learners feel close cognizance of what they read and discuss  (McKay, 2003).  

A brief review of the literature presented above speaks of the high significance of the development of the contents while designing a course book. An analysis of course contents of Grade XI English (Compulsory) Textbooks published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board, Lahore, the content which matters to a huge population, has yet to be made.

Research Methodology

The study was conducted in a qualitative paradigm coupled with some work in the quantitative domain. It enabled me to highlight the core problem of the inappropriateness of content in English language textbooks at the intermediate level and to recommend that by designing engaging materials teachers’ job becomes easier.




Theoretical Framework  

The entire ambit of this study centres on a definite set of principles that determine progress in language learning, particularly how much relevance these rules have to design such materials as are helpful in language learning. These principles of paramount importance were propounded by Dr Brian Tomlinson in his illustrious work “Developing Materials for Language Teaching (2003)”.  A valuable postulate is:

The first and foremost skill teachers need is to engage the emotions of learners for which relevant and appropriate material seems a necessity. In a classroom where students’ feelings of laughter, joy, excitement, and anger are evoked to a desired level, true life- long learning can take place. Contrary to it, aloofness and disinterestedness cause a lack of warmth and emotional involvement creating cumbersome hurdles for language learners in achieving efficiency speedily.




The Population of the Study

Students of HSSC-I and the teachers of the English department working in the colleges under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Islamabad, AJK Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mirpur, AJK and the nine Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education in the Punjab make the population of this study. Besides, the private students of all these boards are also included in the proposed population. 




Sample of the Study 

I randomly selected 500 students from different private colleges situated in Rawalpindi. I gave them Questionnaire and asked them to fill it out. 




Research Instrument (Questionnaire) 

Deep painstakingly, I designed a useful questionnaire for taking students' opinions about the appropriateness of the content and tried to know if their interests and experiences found any room in the present textbooks. Book I and Book III contain 38 items in total of which 15 are short stories, 20 poems, and 3 plays. As the researcher knows, it is a quagmire to study a web of opinion about all 38 items in a single questionnaire; such a bizarre size of questionnaire considerably would have bored the students causing poor responses from them. Thus the response in the qualitative part of the questionnaire would have considerably shrunk. Therefore, for better results, two questionnaires were set, each comprising 20 items. Item 1, item 2, item 19, and item 20 were kept the same in both questionnaires as through these general opinion about the content of the textbooks was desired. In each questionnaire, items 3 to item 18 were set on gaining the opinion of students on different sets of poems, short stories and plays. In this way, through each questionnaire, the students’ opinion on a set of 16 items (all from Book I and Book III) was accessed. Randomly selected 32 items out of 38 items made the subject of the students’ opinions. The questionnaire prepared for quantitative analysis took the opinion of the students in the form of five points using the Likert scale which starts from “strongly disagree" and ends on"strongly agree” and the students could show their degree of agreement/disagreement by marking one of 5 response options.

In its qualitative domain, the questionnaire held out guidance to students for giving reasons as to why they agreed or disagreed. 




Validity of the Questionnaire

A panel of professionals on the subject checked the content validity (both 'the item validity' and 'the sampling validity') of the research tool and found it to be satisfactory. 




Piloting of the Study

I piloted 20 questionnaires (10A, 10AA) among different students and saw that the questionnaire did not create any problems for students. It showed that the research instrument has worth collecting the required data at a satisfactory level.  

Reliability of the Questionnaire A

Assessment of the internal consistency of the questionnaire made at Cronbach’s Alpha gave out a respectable alpha of 0.756. 

 

Table 1

Reliability Statistics A

Cronbach's Alpha	N of Items
.756	20

 

Reliability of the Questionnaire AA

The alpha for the questionnaire AA being 0.718, a modest value, shows that the items on the questionnaire have consistency in measuring the liking/disliking of the students for the textbooks.

 

Table 2

Reliability Statistics AA

Cronbach's Alpha	N of Items
.718	20

 

Data Collection

A sample of 500 students studying at various colleges in Rawalpindi responded to the questionnaire: 250 responded to Questionnaire A, and 250 responded to Questionnaire AA. Their responses are used for quantitative and qualitative analyses. 

Data Analysis

Median and mode measured the central tendency while minimum value, maximum value, and range measured dispersion. Data analysis is based on SPSS. Each response on the scale carried a number. Response signifying the least degree of approval is assigned the minimum score (1) and the most encouraging response is awarded the maximum score (5). Thus the instrument generates a score for every respondent, and it (the total score) measures the degree of likeness of the respondent for the subject textbooks. The instrument comprises 20 items, and the following numbers are enlightening.

20 × 5 = 100   the best possible response (the maximum liking)

20 × 3 = 60     an impartial viewpoint

20 × 1 = 20     the worst opinion (the minimum liking)

 

Data Analysis

Quantitative Analysis of the Questionnaire

Table 3

Statistics of the Questionnaire

N	Valid	500
	Missing	0
Median		41.0000
Mode		39.00
Skewness		.343
Std. Error of Skewness		.109
Range		31.00
Minimum		29.00
Maximum		60.00

 

Discussion on the Results of Quantitative Analysis of the Questionnaire

The median is found to be 41 and Mode is 39. It means that there is a disliking among students for the content of the textbooks. The results show us clearly that there is a disliking on the part of the students for the content of the textbooks. A score of 60 shows a neutral attitude and an above 60 score shows a liking for the subject textbooks. But the score on the questionnaire never goes above 60, none of the respondents, out of 500, gave more than 60 scores to the textbooks. A less than 60 score shows a disliking for the subject textbooks, and more than 95 per cent of the sample population gave a less than 60 score to the content of the textbooks. Only 22 students out of 500 i.e. 4.4 per cent of the sample population showed a neutral attitude toward the textbook by awarding 60 scores.  

The score ranges between 29 and 60. The range is 31 only when there was a possibility of a range of 80, so the data is not so widely dispersed. As skewness is 0.343, it is less than +½, so the distribution is approximately symmetrical.




 




Table 4

Frequencies and Percentages of the Scores on the Questionnaire

		Frequency	Per cent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	29.00	1	.2	.2	.2
	30.00	6	1.2	1.2	1.4
	31.00	6	1.2	1.2	2.6
	32.00	11	2.2	2.2	4.8
	33.00	13	2.6	2.6	7.4
	34.00	14	2.8	2.8	10.2
	35.00	18	3.6	3.6	13.8
	36.00	28	5.6	5.6	19.4
	37.00	21	4.2	4.2	23.6
	38.00	24	4.8	4.8	28.4
	39.00	43	8.6	8.6	37.0
	40.00	35	7.0	7.0	44.0
	41.00	32	6.4	6.4	50.4
	42.00	18	3.6	3.6	54.0
	43.00	16	3.2	3.2	57.2
	44.00	8	1.6	1.6	58.8
	45.00	9	1.8	1.8	60.6
	46.00	7	1.4	1.4	62.0
	47.00	3	.6	.6	62.6
	48.00	16	3.2	3.2	65.8
	49.00	5	1.0	1.0	66.8
	50.00	4	.8	.8	67.6
	51.00	12	2.4	2.4	70.0
	52.00	13	2.6	2.6	72.6
	53.00	19	3.8	3.8	76.4
	54.00	11	2.2	2.2	78.6
	55.00	20	4.0	4.0	82.6
	56.00	23	4.6	4.6	87.2
	57.00	16	3.2	3.2	90.4
	58.00	16	3.2	3.2	93.6
	59.00	10	2.0	2.0	95.6
	60.00	22	4.4	4.4	100.0
	Total	500	100.0	100.0

 




Qualitative Analysis of the Questionnaire

The questionnaire collected qualitative data as well. In its qualitative part with every item, it made the students write the reason for their response. Here are a few of the comments made by the students in the qualitative part of the questionnaire.

§  I hate my English books. Least to interest me.

§  Dull paper, causes stress on eyes. Dull colored

§  By giving a first look, books look like a weapon of mass destruction. Animation/illustration are not present

§  It makes me feel sleepy and its (it is) annoying to(o) like black and white movies of 1960’s

§  Hmmmm…. Asking me, on a scale 1 to 10, I will give -10 marks

§  Please!! Change our book. I’m not requesting, in fact, begging

§  This is a lie. LIE! Every single chapter is boring to read. Ugh! No Pictures! OH! The Humanity! We are tortured due to this book. So hard to understand Sir! Save us! Please do something to change this book

§  It should not be changed because if we are suffering, others must

§  They (books) are according to the interests of the selector

§  Uninteresting, unappealing, boring lessons, with no relation to our daily life

§  not, English is a boring subject

§  The Books are related with (to) the old ones and it is not young fellows

§  I have no words to describe the feeling of disappointment and the intensity of anger towards the lessons

Comments made above show utter dissatisfaction of the learners with the material, the exercises based on them, and the presentation of the books. However, they are not faulty in their views; the vexation and scorn have a justification because neither their persons nor locality has been represented in any story, poem or play. Content that does not cater to their demands and concerns, will be doomed to fail in grabbing their interests which subsequently leads to the learners’ poor performance.

 

Summing up the Data Analysis

It is indisputable that the results obtained from quantitative and qualitative data verified each other.

 

Suggestions and Recommendations

The results obtained from the qualitative as well as the quantitative data confirm the view that the content of the subject textbooks fail to evoke such feelings in the learners as are conducive to learning and an inimical response from the students shows that failure on a large scale cannot be averted without improving the content. The students giving their opinions about textbooks shared unanimity not only in their consistent disapproval but also in strong unequivocal disliking—some showed intense scorn.

My study has taught me that such materials are best for language learning as are designed in accordance with the following guidelines. Firstly, they should cater appropriately to the demands and concerns of the age of the learners for whom they are prepared and should agree with the learners’ level of efficiency. Secondly, during the preparation, the learning outcomes must be kept in mind so that they can be met successfully. Thirdly, all four basic skills— listening, speaking, reading and writing should be developed through appropriate activities fruitful in teaching the respective skill. Fourthly, throughout the books, in their content, language tools, cognitive elements and task requirements the idea of scaffolding must be kept in mind. Fifthly, it must be remembered that the best materials always provide the necessary support to the learners through word banks, language references and visual clues. Sixthly, it must be kept in mind that monotony is the enemy of learning, so diversity in teaching skills and the tasks offered must encourage interaction among the community of learners. Seventhly, in the light of modern language theories emphasis should be on promoting collaborative learning and maintaining a challenging goal in targets.

Conclusion

Keeping in view the results of both the literature review and data analysis, I can assert that Grade XI English (Compulsory) textbooks fall short of their status to be useful language books. The education provided through these books does not encourage thinking of the students and hence careers of hundreds of thousands of our college students, who are our future, are cut short mostly because the writers, publishers and reviewers avoid strenuous effort. 

My claim has been that in the selection of themes for stories, poems, essays, news articles or any other genre, adolescent interests, national integrity and local culture should be given necessary importance. To involve the learners imaginatively and activate their cognitive faculty, materials must be of such nature as encouraging engagement and enhancing motivation. For true language learning, the content must be such as passes through the cognitive processes of the learners for their unconscious and autonomous learning.  The latest approach of CLIL seems best to me and I am suggesting ‘what is not there, and what should be there’. Moreover, I strongly support the immersion theory of language focusing on ‘the Din in the head’ one of the best stimulants for the learners 'rehearsals', unconscious and uncontrollable  (Krashen, 1983). Studies carried out by Little et al. cited in  (Mishan, 2004) also emphasize 'bombarding' learners extensively with authentic texts the ‘language bath’ is recreated.

Appendix A

Questionnaire

Hello: The researcher is evaluating Grade XI English (Compulsory) textbooks and intends to know whether or not the contents and the presentation of your English Compulsory textbooks are as per your interests. Your opinion will be used as data for my research on your English Compulsory textbooks. Thank You!

Muhammad Asif Gul

Department of Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences

Air University, Islamabad. 0321-5285648   0345-0519675 email. gulm27@yahoo.com 

Question 1: My books are appealing in look.

1. Strongly disagree 2. Disagree 3. Neutral 4. Agree 5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 2: The topics/contents of my books come from my real life.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 3: I enjoy reading “Clearing in the Sky”

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 4: “A Mild Attack of Locusts” attracted my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 5: I am interested to read the story of Mathilda.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 6: “God be Praised” engaged my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 7: I am entertained by the story of Hubert.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 8: I could not help reading “The Reward”.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 9: Reading the story of the young man (Overcoat) was a joy.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 10: The tour to Mars was presented in an interesting way.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 11: “The Angel and the Author-and Others” won my appreciation.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 12: Reading “He Came to Know Himself” was a delightful experience.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                                                                                                       Question 13: “The Hollow Men” thrilled me.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 14: “Night Mail” was a fascinating poem to read.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 15:    “Times” captivated my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 16:   "The Delight Song" appealed to me.

      1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 17: I am pleased to read “The Feed”.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 18: The play “ The Oyster and the Pearl” was fairly exciting.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

Question 19: The exercises in my books helped me in learning the language.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 20: Overall my English books are as per my interests.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you

Appendix AA

Questionnaire

Hello? The researcher is evaluating Grade XI English (Compulsory) textbooks and intends to know whether or not the contents and the presentation of your English Compulsory textbooks are as per your interests. Your opinion will be used as data for my research on your English Compulsory textbooks. Thank You!

Muhammad Asif Gul

Department of Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences

Air University, Islamabad. 0321-5285648   0345-0519675 email. gulm27@yahoo.com 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 1: My books are appealing in look.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 2: The topics/contents of my books come from my real life.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 3: I enjoyed reading “Button, Button”

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 4: “In Broken Images” attracted my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 5: I am interested to read the story of Gorgios.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 6: “The Gulistan of Sa’adi” engaged my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 7: I am entertained by the story of Ozymandias.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 8: I could not help reading “I Have a Dream”.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 9: Reading “A Man of Words and Not of Deeds” was a joy.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 10: The tour of Kreton to the Earth was presented in an interesting way.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 11: “The Rain” won my appreciation.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 12: Reading “Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now” was a delightful experience.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 13: "O Where Are You Going?" thrilled me.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 14: “In the Street of the Fruit Stalls” was a fascinating poem to read.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 15:   “Heat Lightning” captivated my attention.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

Question 16:   "Love – an Essence of All Religions" appealed to me.

      1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement--------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 17: I am pleased to read “A Tale of Two Cities”.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 18: The poem “My Neighbour Friend Breathing His Last!” was fairly exciting.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 19: The exercises in my books helped me in learning the language.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 20: Overall my English books are as per my interests.

1. Strongly disagree    2. Disagree    3. Neutral         4. Agree   5. Strongly agree

Reason for agreement/disagreement---------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you

Appendix B

The Summary of Result of Grade XI English (Compulsory) Annual Exam 2014

S. No	Board	Appeared	Passed	Failed	%Pass	%Fail
1	Bahawalpur	37199	25166	12033	67.65	32.35
2	D.G.Khan	35565	27466	8099	77.22	22.78
3	Faisalabad	75256	50125	25131	66.60	33.40
4	Federal	54264	42243	12021	77.85	22.15
5	Gujranwala	111194	64051	47143	57.60	42.40
6	Lahore	134559	101322	33237	75.30	24.70
7	Mirpur AJK	31866	18848	13018	59.15	40.85
8	Multan	51300	36345	14955	70.85	29.15
9	Rawalpindi	55198	36043	19155	65.30	34.70
10	Sahiwal	31455	19973	11482	63.50	36.50
11	Sargodha	12564	6642	5920	52.88	47.12
____	Total	630420	428224	202196	67.93	32.07

 

Appendix C

List of Colleges Visited for Data Collection

S. No	Name of College	No of Respondents
1	Fauji Foundation College for Boys, Lalazar, Rawalpindi	50
2	Fauji Foundation College for Girls, Lalazar, Rawalpindi	50
3	502 Model College, Lalazar, Rawalpindi	50
4	Punjab College B-Block, S/Town, Rawalpindi	50
5	Punjab College for Women, F-Block, S/Town, Rawalpindi	50
6	Steps College, 6th Road, Rawalpindi	50
7	Steps College, 5th Road, Rawalpindi	50
8	Punjab College for Women, F-8/4, Islamabad	50
9	Punjab College, Blue Area, Islamabad	50
10	OPF College for Boys, H-8, Islamabad	50
	Total	500

 

Appendix D

Panel for Validity Check of the Research Instruments

S. No	Name	Designation	College
1	Prof. Jahangir Khan	Head Deptt	OPF College for Boys, H-8/4, Islamabad
2	Prof. Ali Aaqa Naqvi	Head Deptt	Punjab College, Ayub Park Campus, Rawalpindi
3	Prof. Abdul Latif	Faculty	Fauji Foundation College (Boys), Rawalpindi

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