A study on the appropriateness of elementary English textbooks for school education from the perspective of subject-matter education

This study develops a textbook selection criteria from the perspective of quality excellence of content and subject-matter education which reflects school-oriented practical knowledge. The field experts reevaluate the current elementary English textbooks developed according to the 2015 revised English curriculum, using the textbook criteria. To evaluate their validity, the textbook selection criteria were examined by eight English education experts, all English teachers, and based on these criteria the elementary English textbooks were reevaluated for its appropriateness for school education. The result was that the textbook criteria had high validity as a textbook evaluation tool and that the current five textbooks in elementary curriculum did not prove to be sufficient to satisfy the selection criteria. Current textbooks are unidentified in terms of school educational environment and more various activities that stimulate creativity need to be reflected. Subject-matter education consists of ‘curricular knowledge’, ‘subject- matter knowledge’, ‘learner knowledge’, ‘pedagogical knowledge’, and ‘knowledge of educational contexts’. Subject-matter education relates with field. The result of study demonstrates that the current textbook authorization criteria need to be improved in terms of subject-matter education. It is expected to contribute not only to the development of future textbooks but also to the development of overall English education.