CIRCULAR

STIPULATING CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS IN GENERAL EDUCATION

Pursuant to the Education Law dated June 14, 2005; The Law on amendments to the Education Law dated November 25, 2009;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 32/2008/ND-CP dated March 19, 2008 defining functions, tasks, powers and apparatus of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006 stipulating in detailed and guiding the implementation of the Education Law; the Government’s Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011 stipulating amendments to the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006 stipulating in detailed and guiding the implementation of the Education Law; the Government’s Decree No. 07/2013/ND-CP dated January 09, 2013 amending Point d Clause 13 Article 1 of the Government’s Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011 stipulating amendments to the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006 stipulating in detailed and guiding the implementation of the Education Law;

Pursuant to the Resolution No. 88/2014/QH13 of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on renovation of textbooks in general education;

Pursuant to the Decision No. 1400/QD-TTg dated September 30, 2008 of the Prime Minister approving the “Foreign language teaching and learning in the national education system in the 2008-2020 period” project;

At the request of the Director General of the Educational Facilities Department, the Director General of the Primary Education Department and the Director General of the Secondary Education Department;

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Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Purposes and regulated entities

1. This Circular provides for the criteria for evaluating the English textbooks in general education (hereinafter referred to as the criteria).

2. The national textbooks appraisal Council shall base on this circular for evaluating English textbooks (hereinafter called as the books).

3. This circular is used to orientate the publishers and entities in editing a suitable book for learning program.

4. This circular is used to assist educational managers, students and parents in selecting and using books in the course of teaching and learning.

Article 2. Interpretation of terms

In this Circular, the educational materials refer to materials storing, containing or reflecting the book’s contents and used by both students as learning facilities and sources and teachers for teaching and supporting their instruction. Educational materials include traditional forms (pictures or flashcards) and electronic educational materials. Electronic educational materials refer to learning materials which are digitalized under a certain formatting architecture and script and filed on electronic equipment such as CD, CD-ROM, USB, computers or computer network to serve the teaching and learning. Digitalized formats may be text, slide, data sheet, sound, image, video, computer software and combination of the aforesaid formats.

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The code of criteria includes 44 criteria divided into 05 (five) groups as follows:

1. Group I: Criteria of prerequisites (04 criteria).

2. Group II: Criteria of teaching objectives, principles and methodologies (10 criteria).

3. Group III: Criteria of language knowledge and skills (22 criteria).

4. Group IV: Criteria of design and structure (05 criteria).

5. Group V: Criteria of attached educational materials (03 criteria).

Article 4. Principles of usage of criteria

The usage of criteria for evaluating the books must base on the subject's program and ensure the two following principles at the same time:

1. Principle of prerequisites

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2. Principle of minimum threshold

The criteria of group II, III, IV, V shall be given 0 (zero), 1 (one) or 2 (two) points.

The book is evaluated to be satisfactory if the three following conditions are satisfied: total sum of at least 60 points is required, no criterion is given 0 (zero) point and minimum points of groups of criteria are as follows:

- Group II: 15 points

- Group III: 36 points

- Group IV: 06 points

- Group V: 03 points

Detailed evaluation of point of each criterion is guided in the Annex herewith.

Chapter II

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Article 5. Criteria of prerequisites

Criterion 1: The books must be conformable with the Vietnamese culture, history, geography, moral principles, habits and customs and in consistent with the tendency of international integration.

Criterion 2: The books shall not cause bad influence on the patriotism, national pride, political security, public order and social security and the sovereignty.

Criterion 3: The books do not include social prejudices on sex, race, religion, profession, social position and age group.

Criterion 4: The books must comply with the Vietnam laws on publishing, education, copyright, intellectual property and other related laws.

Article 6. Criteria of teaching objectives, principles and methodologies

Criterion 5: The books ensure the satisfaction of objectives of the subject's program in teaching conditions and number of hours for general education.

Criterion 6: The books are compiled on the principle of suitability for students’ psycho-physiological features and age.

Criterion 7: The presentation way of the book’s contents can be useful to teachers in selecting suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities.

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Criterion 9: The books must ensure the balanced development of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills according to the subject's program.

Criterion 10: The books tend to the advanced teaching methodologies, follow the direction of formation and development of communication capacity and promote the students’ initiative.

Criterion 11: The teachers can easily apply the teaching methodologies suggested in the book.

Criterion 12: Teaching activities are diversely designed. The teachers can apply flexible and suitable teaching methodologies for each group of students.

Criterion 13: The teaching activities defined in the book shall make a balanced development of the objectives of skills and language knowledge; create opportunities for self-study, au pair study, group study and class-based study.

Criterion 14: The books must comply with regulations on unity and connection of contents and language skills; meet requirements on output standards of each educational level according to the 06-level foreign language ability framework for Vietnamese people.

Article 7. Criteria of language knowledge and skills

Criterion 15: The books provide many rich and diversified themes suitable to students' capacity, educating students’ behaviors and living skills.

Criterion 16: The books have attractive and updated contents encouraging creative thinking of teachers, generating motivation and interest in learning and opening awareness and experience of students.

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Criterion 18: Each language skill shall be trained under a suitable form to create opportunities for concurrent development of other skills.

Criterion 19: The language used in the book is natural and suitable to real living language and student’s age.

Criterion 20: The books have scientific and diversified design of teaching activities with clear purposes and guidelines, and those teaching activities shall be developed step by step, from easiness to difficulty and from simplicity to complexity.

Criterion 21: The activities defined in the book create a balanced development between the fluency and accuracy in usage of language.

Criterion 22: The book trends to suitable vocabulary teaching methods. The number of vocabulary shall be suitably divided in each unit and closely attached to the context.

Criterion 23: Grammatical structures stated in the book shall be instructed in contexts and practice of communication to ensure the balance between grammatical forms and usage.

Criterion 24: The contents of phonetic practice are properly integrated into Listening and Speaking activities, in which the natural pronunciation shall be concentrated, including stress and intonation.

Criterion 25: Listening activities are diversely designed in order to develop different listening comprehension skills of students.

Criterion 26: Listening lessons are recorded by natural voice with qualified recording quality and pay attention to the development of language capacity such as stress, intonation and linking verbal elements in English.

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Criterion 28: The Speaking activities are designed with clear purposes to make interest and develop natural communication skills of students.

Criterion 29: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in speaking practical stages.

Criterion 30: The speaking activities can ensure the student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction thorough many different activities in speaking practice.

Criterion 31: The system of reading lessons is diversified with attractive themes and develops different reading comprehension skills of students.

Criterion 32: Reading activities are diversified to provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each reading lesson.

Criterion 33: Length and difficulty of reading lessons are suitable to student’s level.

Criterion 34: Writing activities are diversified to provide students with opportunities for writing many different themes.

Criterion 35: Requirements of writing exercises are introduced in contexts with clear purposes and high feasibility and suitable to student’s language level.

Criterion 36: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in writing practical stages.

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Criterion 37: The book’s design is beautiful with coherent usage of headings, symbols, fonts, punctuation marks and the number of pages and without printing error.

Criterion 38: Dimension and weight of the book, size and colors of pictures and word size in the book are suitable to student's age.

Criterion 39: The books have lively illustration pictures and images in corresponding with the lesson’s contents to serve for the purpose of exciting the creation of both teacher and learner, suggesting communication situations and supporting in practice of language.

Criterion 40: The books are scientifically, systematically and suitably structured with sufficient equipment of basic knowledge such as general introduction, index, lessons, reviews and systematized language knowledge.

Criterion 41: The lesson units are structured with a balanced and harmonious proportion of the introduction of new knowledge to exercises and practice of skills, and convenient for division of time of each period in corresponding with each learning level.

Criterion 9. Criteria of attached educational materials

Criterion 42: The book must have attached educational materials which ensure the sufficient instruction of the book’s contents.

Criterion 43: Attached educational materials are suitable to the book’s contents and in conformity with Vietnam’s requirements.

Criterion 44: Attached educational materials can assist teachers in innovating their teaching, testing and evaluating methods; assist the learners in self-learning, self-testing and self-evaluating and creating active learning methods.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Article 10. Effect

This circular shall take effect from January 28, 2016.

Article 11. Responsibilities for implementation

The Office Chiefs, Director General of the Educational Facilities Department, Director General of the Primary Education Department, Director General of Secondary Education Department; Head of relevant units directly under the Ministry of Education and Training; Chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities; Directors of Services of Education and Training; and relevant entities shall implement this Circular./.

PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Nguyen Vinh Hien

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GUIDELINES FOR USAGE OF CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS IN GENERAL EDUCATION

(Promulgated under the Circular No. 31/2015/TT-BGDDT dated December 14, 2015 of the Minister of Education and Training)

The criteria-based evaluation and appraisal of the books should apply Article 4 herein and the following guidelines:

1. Criteria of prerequisites

Criteria of Group I stated in Article 5 herein shall be “Fulfilled” or “Not fulfilled”. To be specific:

 A criterion is considered “Fulfilled” if its contents are not violated.

 A criterion is considered “Not fulfilled” if any of its contents is violated.

II. Groups of criteria of minimum threshold

- Criteria of Group II, III, IV, V stated in Article 6, 7, 8, 9 herein shall be given 0, 1 or 2 points.

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+ 1 or 2 points shall be given as specified below.

- Steps for execution:

+ Step 1: Closely follow the Keywords to determine the main points for evaluation of each criterion.

+ Step 2: Determine 1 or 2 points basing on the main points for evaluation and description of grading system of each criterion.

1. Group II: Criteria of teaching objectives, principles and methodologies

Criteria 5: The books ensure the satisfaction of objectives of the subject's program in teaching conditions and number of hours for general education.

Keywords: objectives

Main points for evaluation:

- Determine the objectives of the subject's program, including determination of basic objectives;

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- Compare the two aforesaid groups of objectives, including material facilities for book-based English teaching and number of hours for general education.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books ensure the satisfaction of basic objectives of the subject's program in teaching conditions and number of hours for general education.

2 points: The books ensure the satisfaction of all objectives of the subject's program in teaching conditions and number of hours for general education.

Criterion 6: The books are compiled on the principle of suitability for students’ psycho-physiological features and age.

Keywords: principle of establishment

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the book’s contents (shown in linguistic materials, illustration pictures and images);

- Consider student’s psycho-physiological features and age (according to each educational level);

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Description of grading system:

1 point: Most contents of the book are compiled on the principle of suitability for students’ psycho-physiological features and age.

2 points: All contents of the book are compiled on the principle of suitability for students’ psycho-physiological features and age.

Criterion 7: The presentation way of the book’s contents can be useful to teachers in selecting suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities.

Keywords: methodologies

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the presentation way of contents of each lesson;

- Try to suggest suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities in each corresponding lesson;

- Evaluate the clarity and suitability of the presentation way of contents of each lesson in choosing suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities as stated above.

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1 point: The presentation way of the contents of each lesson in the book is clear and can help teachers to choose suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities.

2 points: The presentation way of the contents of each lesson in the book is very clear and can help teachers to choose suitable teaching methodologies and support facilities.

Criterion 8: The books must show the consistency between objectives, applicable teaching methodologies and forms of organization and assessment.

Keywords: consistency

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider general objectives of the book;

- Consider specific objectives of each lesson;

- Consider teaching methodologies and forms of organization and evaluation applicable to each lesson in the book.

- Evaluate the consistency of the aforesaid contents.

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1 point: The book has the moderate consistency between objectives, teaching methodologies and forms of organization and assessment.

2 points: The book has the great consistency between objectives, teaching methodologies and forms of organization and assessment.

Criterion 9: The books must ensure the balanced development of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills according to the subject's program.

Keywords: balanced development, skills

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the number of hours, volume of contents and the number of teaching activities for developing each skill;

- Consider the balance of division of the number of hours, volume of contents and the number of teaching activities between skills on the basis of satisfying objectives of the subject's program.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The book has a fairly balanced development of four main skills, i.e. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing according to output standards of the subject’s program.

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Criterion 10: The books tend to the advanced teaching methodologies, follow the direction of formation and development of communication capacity and promote the students’ initiative.

Keywords: methodologies, direction, advanced, capacity

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider applicable teaching methodologies and direction in organizing instruction for each lesson;

- Evaluate the effect, advancing and possibility of developing communication capacity, promoting the students’ initiative for each applicable method and direction.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books tend to the advanced teaching methodologies, follow the direction of formation and development of communication capacity and promote the students’ initiative.

2 points: The books effectively tend to the advanced teaching methodologies, follow the direction of formation and development of communication capacity and promote the students’ initiative.

Criterion 11: The teachers can easily apply the teaching methodologies suggested in the book.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Consider applicable teaching methodologies for organizing instruction for each lesson;

- Evaluate the feasibility and easiness during the application of the aforesaid methodologies.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The teachers can easily apply most teaching methodologies suggested in the book.

2 points: The teachers can easily apply all teaching methodologies suggested in the book.

Criterion 12: Teaching activities are diversely designed. The teachers can apply flexible and suitable teaching methodologies for each group of students.

Keywords: teaching activities

Main points for evaluation:

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- Evaluate the diversity and flexibility during the application of the aforesaid methodologies, including suitability for students.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Most teaching activities are diversely designed. The teachers can apply flexible and suitable teaching methodologies for each group of students.

2 points: All teaching activities are diversely designed. The teachers can apply flexible and suitable teaching methodologies for each group of students.

Criterion 13: The teaching activities defined in the book shall make a balanced development of the objectives of skills and language knowledge; create opportunities for self-study, au pair study, group study and class-based study.

Keywords: teaching activities

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider applicable teaching activities for organizing instruction for each lesson;

- Evaluate the balance of possibility for developing skills and language knowledge of students;

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Description of grading system:

1 point: The teaching activities defined in the book can make a fairly balanced development of the objectives of skills and language knowledge and create opportunities for self-study, au pair study, group study and class-based study.

2 points: The teaching activities defined in the book can make a balanced development of the objectives of skills and language knowledge and create opportunities for self-study, au pair study, group study and class-based study.

Criterion 14: The books must comply with regulations on unity and connection of contents and language skills; meet requirements on output standards of each educational level according to the 06-level foreign language ability framework for Vietnamese people.

Keywords: output standards, 06-level foreign language ability framework for Vietnamese people

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider contents and language skills defined in each lesson;

- Consider requirements on output standards of each educational level in accordance with the 06-level foreign language ability framework for Vietnamese people;

- Compare the compatibility between the contents and language skills defined in each lesson and the requirements on output standards of each educational level according to the 06-level foreign language capacity framework for Vietnamese people;

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Description of grading system:

1 point: The books can passably ensure regulations on unity and connection of contents and language skills; meet requirements on output standards of each educational level according to the 06-level foreign language capacity framework for Vietnamese people.

2 points: The books can firmly ensure regulations on unity and connection of contents and language skills; meet requirements on output standards of each educational level according to the 06-level foreign language capacity framework for Vietnamese people.

2. Group III: The criteria of language knowledge and skills

Criterion 15: The books provide many rich and diversified themes suitable to students' capacity, educating students’ behavior and living skills.

Keywords: topics, student's capacity, behavior and living skills

Main points for evaluation:

- Considering the themes defined in each lesson in the book;

- Evaluate the richness and diversity of the themes;

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- Evaluate the education of behavior and living skills provided by the themes.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books provide rich and diversified themes which are suitable to students' capacity.

2 points: The books provide rich and diversified themes which are suitable to education of students’ behavior and living skills.

Criterion 16: The books have attractive and updated contents encouraging creative thinking of teachers, generating motivation and interest in learning and opening awareness and experience of students.

Keywords: contents, update, creative thinking, awareness and experience

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider contents of each lesson in the book (including contents of language knowledge and socio-scientific knowledge);

- Evaluate the update, attraction, possibility for encouraging the creative thinking of teachers, possibility for generating motivation and interest in learning and opening awareness and experience of students.

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1 point: The books have moderately attractive and updated contents encouraging the creative thinking of teachers, generating motivation and interest in learning and opening awareness and experience of students.

2 points: The books have significantly attractive and updated contents encouraging the creative thinking of teachers, generating motivation and interest in learning and opening awareness and experience of students.

Criterion 17: Teaching contents for developing capacity of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills and contents of Vocabulary, Phonetics and Grammar shall be suitably divided in each learning unit.

Keywords: capacity (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing), knowledge (Vocabulary, Phonetics and Grammar)

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider teaching contents for developing capacity of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills and contents of Vocabulary, Phonetics and Grammar in each learning unit.

- Evaluate the suitability of division of the aforesaid contents basing on each learning unit, by considering aspects and volume of knowledge, the number of hours and the number of teaching activities.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Teaching contents for developing Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills and contents of Vocabulary, Phonetics and Grammar shall be suitably divided in each learning unit at relative level.

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Criterion 18: Each language skill shall be trained under a suitable form to create opportunities for concurrent development of other skills.

Keywords: skills, concurrent development

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider forms of training language skills defined in each lesson;

- Evaluate the suitability of all forms stated above, reasonableness and effect in concurrent development of skills.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Each language skill shall be trained under a moderately suitable form to create opportunities for concurrent development of other skills.

2 points: Each language skill shall be trained under a suitable form to create opportunities for reasonably and effectively concurrent development of other skills.

Criterion 19: The language used in the book is natural and suitable to real living language and student’s age.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the language used in each lesson in the book;

- Evaluate the natural level of language;

- Evaluate the suitability of the language used in the book for actual living language and student's age.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Most language used in the book is natural and suitable to real living language and student’s age.

2 points: The language used in the book is natural and suitable to real living language and student’s age.

Criterion 20: The books have scientific and diversified design of teaching activities with clear purposes and guidelines, and those teaching activities shall be developed step by step, from easiness to difficulty and from simplicity to complexity.

Keywords: teaching activities

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- Consider the teaching activities defined in each lesson in the book;

- Consider objectives and guidelines for developing each activity;

- Evaluate the scientific level and diversity of teaching activities;

- Evaluate clarity of objectives and guidelines for developing each activity;

- Evaluate possibility for developing each activities step by step, from easiness to difficulty and from simplicity to complexity.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books have moderately scientific and diversified design of teaching activities with clear purposes and guidelines, and those teaching activities shall be developed step by step, from easiness to difficulty and from simplicity to complexity.

2 points: The books have scientific and diversified design of teaching activities with clear purposes and guidelines, and those teaching activities shall be developed step by step, from easiness to difficulty and from simplicity to complexity.

Criterion 21: The activities defined in the book create a balanced development between the fluency and accuracy in usage of language.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Consider teaching activities for developing the fluency and accuracy in usage of language in each lesson.

- Evaluate the balance in developing the fluency and accuracy in usage of language via teaching activities.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The activities defined in the book create a moderately balanced development between the fluency and accuracy in usage of language.

2 points: The activities defined in the book create a balanced development between the fluency and accuracy in usage of language.

Criterion 22: The book trends to suitable vocabulary teaching methods. The number of vocabulary shall be suitably divided in each unit and closely attached to the context.

Keywords: vocabulary teaching methods

Main points for evaluation:

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- Consider number of vocabulary divided in each unit;

- Evaluate the suitability of vocabulary teaching methods that the book trends to;

- Evaluate the reasonableness in dividing the number of vocabulary in each lesson;

- Evaluate the attachment to context of vocabulary in each lesson;

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books have a moderately suitable vocabulary teaching methods. The number of vocabulary shall be suitably divided in each unit and closely attached to the context to certain extent.

2 points: The books have a suitable vocabulary teaching methods. The number of vocabulary shall be suitably divided in each unit and closely attached to the context.

Criterion 23: Grammatical structures stated in the book shall be instructed in contexts and practice of communication to ensure the balance between grammatical forms and usage.

Keywords: Grammatical structures

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- Consider grammatical structures introduced in each lesson;

- Evaluate the suitability of contexts attached to the aforesaid grammatical structures;

- Evaluate communication practical activities attached to the aforesaid grammatical structures;

- Evaluate the balance between teaching activities of grammatical forms and those of usage of grammatical forms.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Most grammatical structures stated in the book are instructed in contexts and practice of communication to ensure the balance between grammatical forms and usage.

2 points: All grammatical structures stated in the book are instructed in contexts and practice of communication to ensure the balance between grammatical forms and usage.

Criterion 24: The contents of phonetic practice are properly integrated into Listening and Speaking activities, in which the natural pronunciation shall be concentrated, including stress and intonation.

Keywords: Phonetic

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- Consider the phonetic practical activities stated in each lesson;

- Evaluate the possibility for integrating instruction of Phonetics into Listening and Speaking activities;

- Evaluate student’s capacity for developing natural pronunciation, including stress and intonation.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Most phonetic practical activities are properly integrated into Listening and Speaking activities, in which the natural pronunciation shall be concentrated, including stress and intonation.

2 points: All phonetic practical activities are properly integrated into Listening and Speaking activities, in which the natural pronunciation shall be concentrated, including stress and intonation.

Criterion 25: Listening activities are diversely designed in order to develop different listening comprehension skills of students.

Keywords: Listening activities, listening comprehension skills

Main points for evaluation:

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- Evaluate the diversity of the aforesaid activities according to criteria of forms of organizing activities and forms of exercises;

- Evaluate the comprehensive level in developing different listening comprehension skills.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Listening activities are diversely designed to certain extent in order to develop different listening comprehension skills of students.

2 points: Listening activities are diversely designed in order to develop different listening comprehension skills of students.

Criterion 26: Listening lessons are recorded by natural voice with qualified recording quality and pay attention to the development of language capacity such as stress, intonation and linking verbal elements in English.

Keywords: Listening lessons, recording, language capacity

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider recording parts of Listening lessons and other activities with sound;

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- Evaluate the sound quality according to criteria of clarity, background noise and intensity of sound;

- Evaluate the contents of stress, intonation and linking verbal elements in English in Listening lessons.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Listening lessons in the book are recorded by natural voice with qualified recording quality.

2 points: Listening lessons in the book are recorded by natural voice with qualified recording quality and pay attention to stress, intonation and linking verbal elements in English.

Criterion 27: The length and difficulty of the Listening lessons are suitable to student's level and provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each listening lesson.

Keywords: length, difficulty of Listening lessons

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the length and difficulty of each Listening lesson according to the criteria of number of hours, volume of information, vocabulary, structure and requirements on Listening activities;

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- Evaluate the possibility for creating opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each listening lesson.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The length and difficulty level of the Listening lessons are moderately suitable to student's level and provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each listening lesson.

2 points: The length and difficulty level of the Listening lessons are suitable to student's level and provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each listening lesson.

Criterion 28: The Speaking activities are designed with clear purposes to make interest and develop natural communication skills of students.

Keywords: Speaking activities, communication skills

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Speaking activities stated in each lesson;

- Evaluate the clarity of purposes of organizing the aforesaid activities;

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- Evaluate student’s capacity for developing natural communication skills.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The Speaking activities are designed with clear purposes to make interest for students.

2 points: The Speaking activities are designed with clear purposes to make interest for students and develop natural communication skills of students.

Criterion 29: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in speaking practical stages.

Keywords: Speaking practical activities

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Speaking activities stated in each lesson;

- Evaluate the sufficiency of information and language contents of each activity;

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Description of grading system:

1 point: Students are provided with moderately sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in speaking practical stages.

2 points: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in speaking practical stages.

Criterion 30: The speaking activities can ensure the student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction thorough many different activities of speaking practice.

Keywords: Speaking activities, interaction

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Speaking activities stated in each lesson;

- Evaluate capacity for creating the student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction thorough many different activities (such as acting, discussion, au pair work, group work, presentation, argument, and project execution) in speaking practice of such activities.

Description of grading system:

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2 points: All speaking activities in the book can ensure the student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction thorough many different activities in speaking practice.

Criterion 31: The system of reading lessons is diversified with attractive themes and can develop different reading comprehension skills of students.

Keywords: Reading lessons, Reading comprehension skills

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Reading lessons defined in each lesson of the book;

- Evaluate the diversity and attraction of each Reading lesson according to criteria of forms of organizing activities and forms of exercises;

- Evaluate student’s capacity for developing different reading comprehension skills for each reading lesson.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The system of reading lessons in the book is diversified to certain extent with attractive themes and can develop different reading comprehension skills of students.

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Criterion 32: Reading activities are diversified to provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each reading lesson.

Keywords: reading activities, Reading lesson

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider reading activities of each lesson in the book;

- Evaluate the diversity of reading activities;

- Evaluate the possibility for providing students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each reading lesson.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Reading activities are diversified to certain extent to provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each reading lesson.

2 points: Reading activities are diversified to provide students with opportunities for practice of other language skills upon each reading lesson.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the length and difficulty of each Reading lesson according to the criteria of number of hours, volume of information, vocabulary, structure and requirements on Reading activities;

- Evaluate the aforesaid length and difficulty compared to student’s level;

Description of grading system:

1 point: Length and difficulty of reading lessons are moderately suitable to student’s level.

2 points: Length and difficulty of reading lessons are suitable to student’s level.

Criterion 34: Writing activities are diversified and can provide students with opportunities for writing many different themes.

Keywords: Writing activities

Main points for evaluation:

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- Evaluate the diversity of Reading activities according to criteria of forms of organizing activities and forms of exercises;

- Evaluate possibility for providing students with opportunities for writing many different themes.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Activities for developing Writing skill in the book are diversified to certain extent and can provide students with opportunities for writing many different themes.

2 points: Writing activities in the book are diversified and can provide students with opportunities for writing many different themes.

Criterion 35: Requirements of writing exercises are introduced in contexts with clear purposes and high feasibility and suitable to student’s language level.

Keywords: Writing exercises

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Writing activities stated in each lesson of the book;

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Description of grading system:

1 point: Requirements of writing lessons are introduced in contexts with clear purposes and high feasibility and suitable to student’s language level.

2 points: Requirements of writing lessons are always introduced in contexts with clear purposes and high feasibility and very suitable to student’s language level.

Criterion 36: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in writing practical stages.

Keywords: Writing practice

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider Writing activities in each lesson with respect to information, language contents and guidelines for Writing practice;

- Evaluate the sufficiency of information and language contents of each Writing activity;

- Evaluate steps of organizing Writing practical activities in each lesson;

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1 point: Students are provided with moderately sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in Writing practical stages.

2 points: Students are provided with sufficient information and language contents and guided step by step in Writing practical stages.

3. Group IV: Criteria of design and structure

Criterion 37: The book’s design is beautiful with coherent usage of headings, symbols, fonts, punctuation marks and the number of pages and without printing error.

Keywords: Book’s design

Main points for evaluation:

- Evaluate the sufficiency of information including headings, author, publisher and publishing year;

- Evaluate the system of headings, symbols, fonts, punctuation marks and the number of pages;

- Check printing error in the book.

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1 point: The book’s design is beautiful with coherent usage of headings, symbols, fonts, punctuation marks and the number of pages and without printing error.

2 points: The book’s design is very beautiful with coherent usage of headings, symbols, fonts, punctuation marks and the number of pages and without printing error.

Criterion 38: Dimension and weight of the book, size and colors of pictures and word size in the book are suitable to student's age.

Keywords: dimension of the book, weight of the book, size, colors, pictures, word size, student's age.

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider dimension and weight of the book, size and colors of pictures and word size in the book;

- Evaluate the suitability of dimension and weight of the book, size and colors of pictures and word size in the book for student's age.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Dimension and weight of the book, size and colors of pictures and word size in the book are moderately suitable to student's age.

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Criterion 39: The books have lively illustration pictures and images in corresponding with the lesson’s contents to serve for the purpose of exciting the creation of both teacher and learner, suggesting communication situations and supporting in practice of language.

Keywords: illustration pictures and images

Main points for evaluation:

- Check pictures and images in each lesson;

- Compare such pictures and images with the contents of each lesson;

- Evaluate the suitability of such pictures and images for the lesson’s contents;

- Evaluate the possibility for exciting the creation of both teacher and learner, suggesting communication situations and supporting in practice of language by using such pictures and images.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Most illustration pictures and images in the book are lively and suitable to the lesson’s contents to serve for the purpose of exciting the creation of both teacher and learner, suggesting communication situations and supporting in practice of language.

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Criterion 40: The books are scientifically, systematically and suitably structured with sufficient equipment of basic knowledge such as general introduction, index, lessons, reviews and systematized language knowledge.

Keywords: book’s structure

Main points for evaluation:

- Check various parts of the book;

- Consider scientific level, systematization and suitability of the book’s structure.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The books are scientifically, systematically and suitably structured with moderately sufficient equipment of basic knowledge such as general introduction, index, lessons, reviews and systematized language knowledge.

2 points: The books are scientifically, systematically and suitably structured with sufficient equipment of basic knowledge such as general introduction, index, lessons, reviews and systematized language knowledge.

Criterion 41: The lesson units are structured with a balanced and harmonious proportion of the introduction of new knowledge to exercises and practice of skills, and convenient for division of time of each period in corresponding with each learning level.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Consider the proportion of division of contents in the book;

- Evaluate balance and harmony of division of modules in the book;

- Evaluate the convenience in dividing lessons into periods.

Description of grading system:

1 point: The lesson units are structured with a moderately balanced and harmonious proportion of the introduction of new knowledge to exercises and practice of skills, and moderately convenient for division of time of each period in corresponding with each learning level.

2 points: The lesson units are structured with a balanced and harmonious proportion of the introduction of new knowledge to exercises and practice of skills, and convenient for division of time of each period in corresponding with each learning level.

4. Group V: Criteria of attached educational materials

Criterion 42: The book must have attached educational materials which ensure the sufficient instruction of the book’s contents.

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Main points for evaluation:

- Check educational materials attached to the book;

- evaluate the sufficiency of attached educational materials for deploying the instruction of the book’s contents:

- Primary education: The book has sufficient recording materials of listening lessons in the book and flashcards supporting in book’s teaching activities;

- Secondary education: The book has sufficient recording materials of listening lessons in the book;

- Evaluate the diversity of attached educational materials (in addition to basic attached educational materials, the book also has educational materials recording programs of support software in teaching activities in the book and online support websites and other suitable educational materials).

Description of grading system:

1 point: Attached educational materials are sufficient for deploying the instruction of the book’s contents.

2 points: Attached educational materials are sufficient and diversified for ensuring the instruction of the book’s contents.

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Keywords: attached educational materials, suitable/conformity

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider educational materials attached to the book;

- Consider lessons in the book relating to such educational materials;

- Evaluate the suitability of attached educational materials for the book’s lessons and evaluate the conformity of such materials with Vietnam’s requirements.

Primary education: Basic educational materials include listening lessons in the book and flashcards supporting in book’s teaching activities.

Secondary education: Basic educational materials are listening lessons in the book;

Description of grading system:

1 point: Basic attached educational materials are suitable to the book’s contents.

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Criterion 44: Attached educational materials can assist teachers in innovation of their teaching, testing and evaluating methods; assist the learners in self-learning, self-testing and self-evaluating and creating active learning methods.

Keywords: attached educational materials, innovating

Main points for evaluation:

- Consider educational materials attached to the book;

- Evaluate the assisting level in innovating teaching, testing and evaluating methods; assisting level in self-learning, self-testing and self-evaluating and creating active learning methods.

Description of grading system:

1 point: Attached educational materials can assist teachers in innovation of their teaching, testing and evaluating methods.

2 points: Attached educational materials can assist teachers in innovation of their teaching, testing and evaluating methods; assist the learners in self-learning, self-testing and self-evaluating and creating active learning methods.

Thông tư 31/2015/TT-BGDĐT quy định bộ tiêu chí đánh giá sách giáo khoa tiếng Anh giáo dục phổ thông do Bộ trưởng Bộ Giáo dục và Đào tạo ban hành