European Journal of English Language Studies

: Textbooks are of utmost importance in an academic setting. They cannot achieve their goals and objectives until they address the particular needs of students. The current study aims to assess the grammar textbook used at Najran University's Preparatory Year Program. The study's objectives are to examine the textbook's material in light of the course objectives and to pinpoint the factors that contribute to discrepancies between course objectives and learning outcomes. Additionally, it offers solutions to close the gaps between the course objectives and learning objectives. Twenty PYP teachers were chosen to participate in the study. To collect information from the participants, a quantitative questionnaire with 10 statements based on the course objectives was used. The teachers were also the subject of a qualitative interview to get their advice and insights. The analysis backs the current textbook because of its advantages, which the teachers who participated in the questionnaire said they liked. However, there is always room to update the textbook and improve particular sections or courses to better suit the needs of students. This specific section replacement can address those precise goals that the questionnaire's respondents did not rate very high


Introduction
Textbooks are the most widely used teaching tools in classrooms all around the world. It is the most crucial teaching and learning instrument. Although there have been several discussions over whether textbooks are the finest potential teaching tool, as the number of teachers increases each, teachers are finding it more and more challenging to choose the ideal textbook. Interestingly, there is a lot of market rivalry, giving teachers plenty of opportunities to select the best. However, no textbook can be deemed to be the best until it has undergone a thorough analysis/ evaluation based on the goals and objectives of the planned course, allowing teachers to identify the advantages and disadvantages of several textbooks (Zgorelac, 2016).
A textbook is an inevitable part of learning and teaching procedures. It is also a means to fulfil the learning objectives of a particular course. They serve as a basis for teachers to accomplish the course's goals and objectives as well as an example and a teacher's manual. The interest and drive of learners are significantly influenced by how much they enjoy the textbook. A textbook is a popular learning resource. Everyone has the ability to learn whenever and wherever they want by using a textbook. For students, the textbook has become the most important resource in their learning process. (Hakim et al. 2020) Teachers can be the real evaluator of a textbook as they are the ones who use the textbook. Because selecting textbooks requires matching the contents to the level of learners, evaluation of the textbook is essential. Sheldon (1988) asserts that textbooks not only form the visual core of any English language teaching (ELT) program but also offer both students and teachers a number of advantages when used in English as second language/ English as foreign language programs. Cunningsworth (1995) asserts that textbooks can help students achieve a range of objectives in ELT (English Language Teaching) courses. Additionally, Haycraft (1978) asserts that one of the major advantages of using textbooks is that students find them psychologically significant because their growth and success can be clearly seen. Without textbooks, a program may not have much of an impact, therefore they offer structure and a curriculum, according to Richards (2001). Predictive and retrospective appraisals of material are the two categories that Ellis (1997) separates. The decision of which materials to utilize is the foundation of a predictive evaluation. A retrospective evaluation is based on determining whether materials (as used) serve learners' needs or not. The goal of both evaluations is to improve the effectiveness of the teaching and learning environment. The PY unit of the Department of English provides the course description as well as course goals at the beginning of each semester which follow.

Course Description
This course is designed to help students expand their vocabulary and have a better knowledge of grammar rules. Additionally, through the use of various strategies like affixation, word creation, etc., it aims to increase students' vocabulary and help them develop a fundamental understanding of grammatical structures and principles.

Goals of the Course
Students should be able to write effective and grammatically sound sentences by the end of the course. They should also be able to correctly use articles, phrases, and clauses, as well as a variety of verb tenses, modal verbs, and word formations. They should also be able to write both simple and compound sentences.
The present study can be categorized as a retrospective evaluation. It evaluates the contents of the grammar textbook Interactions edited by Elaine Kirn and Darcy Jack, at PYP, Najran University, which has been in use for the last ten semesters.

Literature Review
Although there are numerous resources for teaching modern languages, such as CDs and DVDs with various interactive movies and animations, textbooks continue to be the most popular and significant teaching tool (Wisniewska, 2011). Wisniewska makes use of a 2009 Polish survey in which 250 university students were questioned regarding the usefulness of various study and instruction aids. Participants believed that professionally written textbooks for language acquisition were the best tools for learning English, according to the study's findings. The Internet, TV shows, newspapers, magazines, and other sources of information were also used.
Also, 55% of participants-who claimed language textbooks were extremely useful-indicated they were helpful for learning EFL, while 41% said they were somewhat helpful. Numerous additional authors and researchers, including McGrath (2002), Cunningsworth (1995), and Krátká (2012), all agree with the conclusions of this study and state that textbooks remain the most often used teaching material (Zgorelac, 2016).
Education's fundamental component, evaluation helps to systematically advance both teaching and learning methods. The usage of educational resources like textbooks requires evaluation. Cunningsworth (1995) proposes that we should safeguard that "careful selection is made, and that the materials selected closely reflect [the needs of the learners and] the aims, methods and values of the teaching program" (p.7). The evaluation of textbooks is important for instructors' professional development. According to Ellis (1997), textbook evaluation aids teachers in acquiring meaningful, accurate, methodical, and relative perceptions of the general character of textbook material, as opposed to impressionistic judgments.
There are many justifications for evaluating a textbook. Choosing whether to use a new course book or stick with the present one may be one of the main factors. Cunningsworth (1995) adds that another motivation is to pinpoint specific advantages and disadvantages of the course texts now in use. By adapting and replacing pieces from other publications, such exercises also give students the chance to strengthen their weaknesses and build on their strengths. Additionally, as Sheldon (1987) notes, materials evaluation plays a significant role in raising teacher awareness in a number of ways in addition to serving the immediate practical purpose of selecting teaching resources. It supports teachers' preconceptions about the nature of language and learning. It aids teachers in understanding that resources are an essential part and it encourages them to set prerequisites.
The textbook Interactions edited by Elaine Kirn and Darcy Jack was suggested, selected, and implemented at PYP, Najran University. The selection was made by a committee of experienced teachers who approved the textbook after a predictive evaluation of the textbook. There are various textbooks being used at PYP throughout the kingdom. Every university has the autonomy to adapt teaching materials and textbooks as per the learners' needs. There is no compulsion by the Ministry of Education to use a specific book at PYPs. This study will present the results of a survey done among English teachers at PYP Najran University. This research is meant to thoroughly examine the textbook in question whose outcomes will identify the specific parts of the EFL textbook that need to be addressed and improved.

Research Objectives
1-To evaluate the textbook's material in light of the course objectives 2-To identify the reasons that cause breaches between course objectives and learning outcomes 3-To make suggestions on how to close the breaches between the course objectives and learning outcomes European Journal of English Language Studies  39

Aim of the Study
The aim is to evaluate overall efficacy of the textbook that was approved and given to PYP students from the viewpoint of the instructors. Methodology The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain and analyze data. The following procedure was adopted:

Participants
This study included twenty EFL teachers from PYP. The age range of the participants was 28 to 47 years old. They have 2 to 20 years of experience in teaching English. The majority of the participants have four years to one semester of experience teaching grammar courses.

Tools
Using a quantitative questionnaire, the individuals' information was gathered (which contained ten statements). The survey's objective was to learn teachers' opinions and evaluations of the most recent PYP Grammar textbook. The questionnaire employs 5-point Likert scale of agreement and is based on the course objectives.
The authors used Siti Rahaya and Salbiah's (1996, as cited in Alsaied, 2016) paradigm of explaining means to interpret the level of means. It is abridged in Very high A qualitative interview session with the teachers was also performed to obtain their professional opinion and ideas. Five significant points about the present textbook were discussed in the interview.

Pilot Study
To ensure the validity of the survey questionnaire/ interview questions, it was first piloted by 10 EFL instructors; their feedback was useful for modifying some items. The survey was also given to four asst. Professors to examine its validity. Some items were modified as per their suggestions so as to meet the content validity and reliability.

Procedures
The researchers sent out the questionnaire to forty people, and thirty of them responded. Finally, a sample of twenty questionnaires that were given careful consideration was chosen for this study. Twenty grammar teachers were also interviewed, and their ideas and comments were integrated into the research. A thorough analysis and discussion of the questionnaire statements followed by a complete analysis and discussion of the interview responses are presented. Most of the observations as noted during the interviews had similarities and were based on the textbook. Almost all the teachers had the experience of teaching the same textbook. So, their inputs were reliable. Similar ideas were grouped together as part of following the NVivo. 40% of respondents strongly agreed with the first statement. 55% of the attendees concurred. 5% of the attendees were in disagreement. The mean is placed as high.

Analysis of Questionnaire
15% of the participants intensely approved with the second proclamation in the questionnaire. Although 5% of participants were uncertain, a majority, 70% of participants, agreed.
15% of respondents strongly agreed with the third statement. 25% of the participants had no opinion, but 55% of them agreed with the statement. Only 5% of the attendees disagreed. The mean is high.
The fourth item shows 10% of accomplices sturdily approved it, while 60% of people also acknowledged it, and 25% had no opinion. 5% did not agree with the assertion.
In the questionnaire's fifth statement, 30% of participants remained silent, 50% of participants agreed with the assertion. Five percent of the participants did not support the remark, while fifteen percent of the participants did not approve it.
None of the students strongly agreed with the sixth declaration. 40% of the attendees were in agreement. Thirty percent of the participants weren't sure. 30% of those present did not agree.
The seventh avowal reveals that no participant highly agreed, despite the fact that 45% of participants agreed. Uncertainty about it was expressed by 40% of the participants. 15% of those present were in disagreement. Moderate describes the mean.
In the eighth proclamation, 10% were completely in agreement, compared to 80% who agreed and none who voiced a different perspective. A total of 5% did not support the statement, and a similar percentage (5%) strongly objected. The mean falls under the high category.
There was no substantial agreement with the statement in the questionnaire's ninth item. Despite the fact that 35% of the participants (a sizeable portion) expressed no opinion, 60% supported the proclamation.
The tenth declaration from the textbook reveals that 40% of participants highly agreed while 55% of participants agreed.

Interview Analysis
Interviews were employed as another way of data collection. Twenty samples were chosen from a total of thirty to be filled out completely. In the interview, the following questions were put forward: 1. Teachers rate students' understanding of concepts based on the textbook (on a scale of 1 to 5): 2. Mention some of the most typical learning obstacles (originated from the materials used in the textbook) students have in grammar class, according to teachers: 3. Describe some of the pedagogical (teaching) issues that teachers confront when teaching grammar textbook: 4. Recommendations to improve certain parts in the textbook to help students improve their grammar: 5. Is the textbook structured with a learner-centered approach? In reply to the first question, four teachers tot up the students' commands as one on a scale of one to five, as shown in the table. Six teachers gave students a two-star rating, while six others got them a three-star rating. Three teachers offered learners as 4 and one teacher gave them 5. The majority of teachers offered students a rating of 1-3. Students are unable to form even simple sentences. Not familiar even with basic structure of a sentence. Cannot distinguish between phrase and phrasal verbs. 6 Unable to put adjective in proper place. Poor vocabulary. 5 Use of prepositions, connectors and ideas forming problems Can't distinguish among parts of speech. Spelling and punctuation problem 4 Constructing correct sentences Mother tongue interference Poor grammar: subject verb agreement There were a variety of answers to question number 2, as indicated in Table 4, however several of the comments were consistent. Many teachers agreed on a very important point: mother tongue was a major interference ultimately leading to grammatical/ structural problems.

Q.3 Number of Participants Describe a few pedagogical (teaching) challenges that educators face when teaching grammar textbook: 5
Students do not know about parts of speech. Students lack motivation. Students find it difficult to work as groups. 8 Unable to transfer their ideas into writing forms. Teachers have to start from the beginning, the simple sentences (Subject verb agreement). 7 Students lack the basics of grammar, cannot form even simple sentences. Grammar, spelling and vocabulary problems.
There were a variety of answers to question number 2, as indicated in Table 4, however several of the comments were consistent. Most of the teachers believe (as shown in responses) that students lack even basics of grammar. Students cannot transform their ideas into writing piece.

Q.4 Number of Participants
Recommendations to improve certain parts in the textbook to help students improve their grammar: 4 Use beginners' grammar books to improve grammar. At the school level, there should be enough practice of grammar in proper context. 4 Grammar (in context) practices on general topics. More practice of free writing is needed. 3 Simple sentences formation 5 Introducing a course or a section for practicing grammar through different contextbased exercises Competition (through quizzes and progress tests) like essay writing must be organized with proper emphasis on grammar. 4 More practice is needed at home.
In response to question 4, the teachers provided several recommendations, as seen in Table 6. The common ones were to introduce a course or a section for practicing grammar through different context-based exercises. Teachers also suggested using beginners' level books. Competition (through the quiz and progress tests) like essay writing must be organized with proper emphasis on grammar. The course is learner-centered. 05 It has a learner-centered approach to some extent. Table 7 demonstrates 5 teachers (a minority) agreed to some extent that the course is learner-centered. In addition, 15 teachers completely agreed that it is. It proves that the learner is the focus of the textbook's design.

Questionnaire
The majority of the important components (course objectives) fall into the high and moderate category, according to the study of the textbook's contents. In the category of high statements, there are five out of ten. Three of the statements fall into the category of moderate, while two are given values that are very high. The questionnaire's results show that the textbook is succeeding. There is no doubt that the evaluation of grammar textbooks is extremely important as it is a very important component in improving other skills of language. The textbook has fulfilled most of the criteria of well-selected components of grammar. The study is supported by another research by Prihatnasari (2020) where he emphasizes the importance of grammar in developing the four skills of language as remarked, "It means that grammar is needed to make the learners' or students' comprehension of four English skills get better than before" (p.25). It is also true that not all of the statements can be categorized as extremely high-level and practically applicable; no textbook can. As Grant (1987) opines (the) 'Perfect book does not exist', yet the aim is to find out the best possible one that will fit and be appropriate to a particular learner group (p. 8). It is apparent from the questionnaire results that the textbook achieves the course goals largely. Three statements that fall in the category of moderate need attention. Those particular objectives as reflected in the three statements can be achieved by adapting supplementary materials or replacing those particular chapters/units. The topics in the textbook should address the professional and academic needs of students as emphasized by Umar and Ameen (2022) in a similar study, "They admit that the book is adequately organized, and its topics are selected carefully to cater to the students' academic and professional needs" (p.1). This evaluation can be categorized as an in-use evaluation as it examines material that is currently being used. According to Cunningsworth (1995), this kind of evaluation is used "when a newly introduced course book is being monitored or when a wellestablished but aging course book is being assessed to see whether it should be considered for replacement" (p.14). The current textbook was adapted two semesters before and the evaluation proves that it needs not to be replaced. This textbook evaluation is sometimes referred to as post-use (retrospective) evaluation since it concerns the assessment of a textbook after it has been utilized in a given institution or setting. The most valuable evaluation that can be done to determine the real effect of a textbook is a retrospective (post-use) evaluation. The present textbook Interactions edited by Elaine Kirn and Darcy Jack is used particularly at PYP Najran University in an EFL situation. Tomlinson (2013) asserts that post-use evaluation can quantify the results of the materials' actual application and provide information from which sound judgments about their future application, adaptation, or replacement can be made. As part of the retrospective evaluation, there is no need to replace the textbook yet there is scope for improvement/ replacement in a certain section of the textbook.
It is quite interesting to see that the textbook is doing well yet students do not show remarkable progress in grammar use and usage. As the results exemplify (in the opinion of teachers), that textbook is good. There may be other reasons that contribute to poor command of grammar of students. Teachers need to revise their teaching methodologies and technique as well as precautionary measures. With a few changes in teaching style, teachers can achieve desired better results. Moreover, the background of learners also plays an important role. Therefore, there must be a placement test at the entry-level of the course.
Despite this, instructors should occasionally administer class exams, quizzes, and progress assessments in the classroom. According to Jung et al. (2000), "Teachers should regularly apply what they have learned to all areas of the curriculum after teaching the skills. Students need to be evaluated for these abilities if they are to diligently use them" (p. 5). Based on what they have taught, teachers are required to evaluate their students.

Interview
The majority of teachers awarded students a 1-3 rating in response to the first question. It demonstrates that students do not have a strong grasp of grammar. There is still a need for development in some areas of the textbook, teaching pedagogy, and learning techniques, as evidenced by the fact that the majority of instructors' responses do not fall into the "high" or "very high" categories.
Therefore, it is advisable, especially for teachers to review their teaching methodologies and techniques in order to meet the objectives completely. There is hardly any need to replace the textbook as teachers have given constructive opinion about the textbook in the questionnaire.
Instructors cited a few typical learning challenges faced by students. They reported a few difficulties like students being unable to form even simple sentences, as they are not familiar with the even basic structure of a sentence. They cannot distinguish between phrase and phrasal verbs. They are unable to put adjectives in proper places Their vocabulary is too poor. There is no scope for free writing. No knowledge of the use of prepositions, connectors, and the formation of ideas linguistically. Most of the problems occur due to mother tongue interference. Students depend on memorizing important paragraphs/ items to the pass examination. Teachers' interviews had a deep insight into real learning difficulties. It shows students' background is too poor. As teachers have admitted same in the questionnaire, the current textbook meets course objectives to a great extent. So, there is no need to change the textbook yet one cannot deny the fact that teachers need to bring major changes in their teaching methodologies and pedagogies so that the gap between course objectives and learning outcomes may be bridged.
Teachers identified some pedagogical (teaching) issues they experience when teaching grammar textbooks in response to question three. Students do not recognize even parts of speech. They are apathetic. As a result, they do not actively participate to work in pairs and groups. They are unable to transfer their ideas into writing forms. Students' level is so poor that teachers have to start from the beginning as students lack the basics of writing even simple sentences. Besides, they have issues with spelling and vocabulary too. Teachers' response shows that students' level is extremely poor. They should be provided with some remedial classes. There should also be a placement test (that is not in practice at present) so that students can be placed in different sections as per their academic/knowledge level.
Teachers offered some advice for students to improve their grammar in response to question number four. They suggested using beginners' grammar books. There should be enough grammar practice on different topics at school. There should be more practice of grammar through contextual writing. Students should be taught in early classes how to form simple sentences. Students should be involved in extra-curricular activities like essay writing competitions (with a special focus on grammar) must be organized to motivate students to contextualize grammar. The topics in the textbook should cater academic and professional needs of students. They can also be given some small rewards for motivation.
Five teachers (a minority) said the course is only somewhat learner-centered in response to question 5, while the other 15 felt that it is entirely learner-centered. It demonstrates that the textbook is learner-centered and doesn't require significant change and should be continued. The findings here align with another research by Mavaddat and Akbarpour (2021) where they recommend the textbook not to replace as the positive points outweigh the negative ones, "The findings reveal that the Iranian EFL teachers generally had a positive perspective towards Connect Series. Moreover, it was indicated that Connected Series contains a wealth of strong points (p.123)".

Conclusion
The findings of the study show that this textbook meets the learners' expectations and that the positive aspects outweigh the negative ones. Hence, the textbook assists in achieving many academic skills essential for the academic development of students. The findings align with a study by Dinata (2022) that assert "The textbook provides several academic skills, which is gaining and using information, solving the problems, and making decisions" (p.2091). As there are several favorable points as declared in the survey questionnaire by teachers, it is felt that Interactions edited by Elaine Kirn and Darcy Jack are relatively compatible with the PYP students. However, the study unfolds an interesting dimension. Though the teachers favored the textbook in the survey questionnaire, they illustrated several problems with students in the interview sessions. They admitted (in the interview) that the level of the learners is too poor. They even cannot write simple sentences. Now the question arises why students' grammar is unexpectedly poor. The research emphasizes that only a good textbook is not enough to bring desired results. There are other factors like teaching methodologies, student motivation, student-teacher relationship, and administrative policies, which play an equal part in yielding, desired learning outcomes. As teachers admitted (in the interview) there is no entrance test at the entry-level, the classroom accommodates all levels of learners (beginner, intermediate and advanced) at the same time. It poses a big challenge for teachers to address the need of learners (with major differences in their learning temperament) at the same time under the same roof. Moreover, there is no remedial program or bridge course for poor (backward) learners. Because of all these factors, teachers face immense problems in creating a balance among different levels of learners. In conclusion, this book titled 'Interactions Grammar' can be wholeheartedly recommended because of its merits as approved by the teachers in the survey questionnaire. Nevertheless, there is always room to go through the textbook and replace certain sections/ units as per the needs of the learners. This particular replacement of the sections can address those specific objectives, which did not get a very high value in the questionnaire. The findings align with another research by Alsulami (2021) who evaluated textbooks and stated that "the findings of this research study revealed important points relating to the characteristics of a good textbook and identified strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to modify the book" (p.1). Moreover, there are other factors other than the textbook, which also need an equal amount of attention to bridge the gap between course objectives and learning outcomes.

Recommendations
This book titled 'Interactions Grammar' can be wholeheartedly recommended because of its merits as approved by the teachers in the survey questionnaire. Nevertheless, there is scope to carry out further research to replace certain sections/ units as per the needs of the learners. This particular replacement of the sections can address those specific objectives, which did not get a very high value in the questionnaire. In addition, there are other elements (subject to further research) than the textbook that also require equal attention if the course objectives and learning outcomes are to be aligned. Limitations