A Comparative Study of English Textbooks Used in Iranian Institutes

Since most class activities revolve around the utilization of textbook, selecting an appropriate basis for teaching is one of the most important decisions a teacher is liable to make in shaping the content and nature of teaching and learning. The current probe appraised the practicality of a number of prevalent English course books in the Iranian context. To this aim, a total of 320 male learners from a range of different institutes across West Azerbaijan were asked to voice their opinions on various aspects of four English textbooks, i.e. American English File 1, American Cutting Edge 1, American Headway 1, and New Interchange 1. In line with the gained results, the researchers concluded that through using a convenient website related to a specific course book, the learners would be highly motivated and enjoy the English language learning process; indeed, the newly published book American English File 1 – with its up-to-date materials, beautiful coverage and pictures and a convenient website – was more preferred than its three counterparts by the learners participating in this research.