Abstract:

This paper aims to discuss the development trend and future directions on the evaluation of foreign language textbooks over the recent 30 years from 1990 to 2020. It examined the research from key journal papers, monographs and dissertations by bibliometric method and content analysis. It is found that the evaluation of domestic foreign language textbooks presents three stages: (1) the critical review of foreign textbook evaluation framework; (2) the evaluation of textbooks based on foreign framework; (3) the innovation of local teaching materials. The research trend goes from static evaluation to dynamic evaluation, from theory abroad to localized theory, from subjective review to objective research. This study also puts forward the focus of the evaluation of foreign language textbooks in the new era, including strengthening the ideological and political elements in textbooks evaluation, focusing on the evaluation of the foreign language textbooks in universities, middle schools and primary schools as an integrity, enhancing the evaluation of multilingual teaching materials. This paper has some enlightenment on the evaluation, compilation, use and adaptation of foreign language teaching materials.

Key words: textbooks evaluation, foreign language teaching, materials development