Perceptions of EFL teachers for the young learners' coursebooks in Turkey

The aim of the research is to evaluate English coursebook titled Sunshine 4, which is designed for fourth graders at state schools in Turkey through the perceptions of English language teachers. The coursebook was assessed at both macro and micro level in terms of nine criteria. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through teacher questionnaires applied to 70 English teachers of fourth grade learners in Ankara and classroom observations made by the researcher. Analyses of questionnaires were made according to the score attained as a result of the answers given to the 20-question scale formed on the basis of 5-point Likert scale. The frequency, percentage distributions, pie charts and mean values regarding the sub-dimensions of the scales of the data have been analyzed by statistical analyses. The data collected through classroom observations were regularly kept in the journals by the researcher. According to quantitative and qualitative results, it was elicited that both language teachers and the researcher agreed on the missing points of the coursebook in general. It has been claimed that the coursebook should have been designed according to some criteria important for young learners. It has been also stated that the content, the selection and organization of the content, the level of the coursebook, vocabulary items, consideration of development of learner autonomy, consideration of visual learning style difference, physical appearance and technical aspects have been disregarded parts of the coursebook Nevertheless, according to the results, it was indicated that grammar parts of the coursebook seemed to have satisfied the language teachers. Keywords: young learners' coursebook, young learners