Ill-designed Reading Activities: The Case of a Unit in Grade 11 English Textbook

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of the reading activities set in English textbooks in training learners to develop effective reading skills. To this end, the first unit of Grade11 English Textbook was taken as an example. Attempts were made to examine the nature and effectiveness of the pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading activities set in the unit in helping learners develop different reading skills. The questions set in the unit with regard to reading activities were examined based on the current theories of teaching reading skills. Each question set in relation to the reading activities was analyzed in relation to its intended objective, its construction/design and its effectiveness in attaining the intended objective. Results of the study show that the reading activities in the unit are poorly designed; they do not train learners to developing effective reading skills. For example, the objectives of the reading activities are not properly stated; they do not indicate clearly the intended reading skill(s) to be developed, and there are mismatches between the intended reading skills and the nature of questions designed to practice the skills.