MATERIALS EVALUATION FORM

Name of textbook under consideration

Full Blast Plus for Ukraine
Author (s) H.Q. Mitchell
Level (grade)
5th grade

A. Practical Considerations
1. Is the price of the textbook appropriate for your students?
Yes
Comment: The textbook is free for students as it is part of the school education program. If
needed, it can be printed since it is available in an electronic format.

2. Are the integral parts of the materials (workbook, tapes, teacher’s book etc.) available now?
Yes
Comment: There is a workbook, teacher's guide, audio materials, a test booklet, videos, and a
grammar workbook, and if necessary, they can be printed since they are available in electronic
format.

B. Layout and design

1.​ Is the layout and design appropriate for your students?
Yes
Comment: The textbook layout for fifth graders is user-friendly and organized. The book has a
bright yet not overwhelming design, with clear sections. Each topic starts with learning
objectives, helping students stay focused.

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The exercises are accompanied by illustrations, such as food photos, sports drawings, and
family comics. Important elements are highlighted with color or icons ( ). The text is divided
into blocks, making it easier to read.

In the “Food” topic, there are photos of products, survey tables (“How much water do you
drink?”), and role-playing activities (“Ordering at a restaurant”). Grammar pages may seem a bit
dull at times, but overall, the design supports learning.

C. Activities
1. Do the materials provide a balance of activities (controlled language presentation - practice -
–to communicative activities) that is appropriate for your students and which foster language 3
acquisition and learning?
Yes
Comment: Activities in the textbook are designed to engage students in active language
practice through various formats. Each module begins with an interactive discussion (Discuss:),
helping activate prior knowledge (e.g., “What’s your favorite food?” in Module 5). The main
exercises include:
Controlled practice: fill-in-the-gap tasks (Complete with a/an), choosing the correct option (Circle
the correct words).
Communicative tasks: pair dialogues (Talk in pairs), role-playing (e.g., ordering food in Module
5b), surveys (Survey: Free time).
Creative projects: making posters (about musical instruments), writing letters or blog posts
(about holidays).
For example, in Module 1a (Where are you from?), students first listen to dialogues about
countries (listening), then match nationalities with countries (vocabulary), and finally act out
similar dialogues in pairs (speaking). In Module 3c (Time out), students analyze their daily
routines and compare them with classmates, developing both language and social skills.

2 .Is there sufficient communicative output (discussion, reaching a consensus activities,

communications games, problem solving tasks, talking about yourself, simulation and role play,
writing reports and advertisements, co-operative writing, exchanging letters, writing journals), in
the textbook?
Yes
Comment: There are discussions (e.g., "Talk in pairs" about hobbies), role-plays (e.g.,
restaurant scenarios), and writing tasks (e.g., describing a house).

3.Do the materials provide enough roughly-tuned input for your students?
Yes
Comment:The language input seems appropriate for the level, with gradual complexity (e.g.,
introducing "there is/are" before comparatives)

4. Is ‘new’ language introduced in motivating and realistic context?

Yes
Comment: The textbook includes practical tasks that reflect real-life situations. For example:

1.​ Ordering food in a café, just like in a real restaurant (“I’d like a burger, please”).​

2.​ Describing your home, where you live, and what’s in your room.​

3.​ Finding a lost item (e.g., “My dog is lost – help me find him!”).

However, some aspects feel outdated—there are no tasks about online communication or social
media, which children use daily.

5. Where the materials encourage practice, is practice motivating for your students?
Yes
Comment: Games (e.g., guessing pets in Unit 2c) and surveys (e.g., free-time activities in Unit
3c) make practice fun

D. Skills
1. Do the materials include and practice the skills (listening, speaking, writing, reading) your
students need?
Yes
Comment:The textbook systematically develops all four language skills:
- Listening: Regular audio-based exercises (e.g., Module 1a dialogues with nationality
vocabulary).
- Speaking: Pair/group activities like role-plays (e.g., ordering food in Module 5b) and
discussions (e.g., "Describe your best friend" in Module 2e).
- Reading: Short texts (e.g., festival descriptions in Module 6d) with comprehension tasks.
- Writing: Guided tasks (e.g., emails in Module 8e) and creative exercises (e.g., diary entries
in Module 7b).
2.Does the textbook have an appropriate balance of skills for your students?
Yes
Comment: Speaking and writing are slightly emphasized, but listening and reading are
well-integrated (e.g., Unit 6a combines listening to a party invitation with writing one).

3.Is the practice of individual skills integrated into the practice of other skills?
Yes
Comment:Skills are interconnected in thematic modules:
- Typical progression (Module 4d "Places to Visit"):

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1. Reading signs/rules (e.g., "You mustn’t feed the animals").
2. Listening to dialogues about locations ( ).
3. Speaking (role-play: asking for directions).
4. Writing (describe a museum’s rules).
- Gap: Listening tasks rarely transition into extended speaking (e.g., no "Summarize what you
heard" prompts).

E. Language type
1. Is the language used in the textbook realistic –i.e., like real-life English?
Yes
The textbook includes many examples of real-life English that people use every day. For
example, in the restaurant section, students learn phrases like “Can I have a menu?” and “I’d
like pizza.”
2.Is the language used in the textbook at the right level for your students?
Yes
Comment: The textbook is well-paced in terms of difficulty. It starts with simple sentences (“My
name is...”), gradually becomes more complex (“Yesterday I went to...”), and by the end of the
year, students can read and write full stories and letters.

F. Subject and Content

1. Is the subject and content relevant to the students’ needs? What contexts and situations will
your students probably use English in at some future date?
Yes
Comment: The textbook covers topics relevant to fifth graders, such as school, family, hobbies,
travel, and celebrations. For example, Module 2e (p. 31) encourages students to describe a
friend, helping them express thoughts about people close to them
The textbook prepares students for basic communicative situations:
- **Travel:** Ordering food (Module 5b), finding directions (Module 4d).
- **School life:** Describing a daily routine (Module 3a).
- **Social interactions:** Introducing oneself (Module 1a), discussing celebrations (Module 6d).

2.Is the subject and content of the textbook realistic at least some of the time?
Yes
Comment: Many tasks simulate real-life situations:
- **Realistic dialogues:** For example, a conversation in a café (Module 5b) or asking for
directions (Module 4d).
- **Authentic texts:** Event announcements (Module 6d), letters (Module 8e).
However, some situations are simplified for students' level, which sometimes makes the
conversations feel less natural.
3.Is the subject and content of the textbook interesting for the students?
Yes
Comment:The topics are chosen with students' interests in mind:
Engaging sections: Music (Module 1d), celebrations (Module 6d), travel (Module 8e).
Interactive tasks: Role-playing, surveys, projects.
However, some topics (e.g., describing a house in Module 4e) might feel a bit dull unless the
teacher adds creativity.

4. Is there sufficient variety for your students in the subject and content of the materials?
Yes and No
Comment:The textbook covers various topics but has room for improvement:
Modern topics (e.g., video games, social media) or a deeper exploration of different cultures.

5. Do the materials avoid harmful stereotypes of different races and cultures? Do they reflect
multicultural nature of modern society?
Yes
Comment: Yes, there are no stereotypes:
- Cultural neutrality: Dialogues include names from different cultures (e.g., Pablo, Maria, Imre).
- No biases: No discrimination based on gender, race, or religion.
The textbook partially reflects the multicultural world. It includes characters from different
countries, such as Ukraine, Mexico, and Hungary.For example, Module 8d

G. Guidance
1. Are the materials clearly written for your students and are the objectives clearly stated for
both teachers and students?
Yes
Comment: The materials are clearly written for students, with age-appropriate language,
visuals, and structured exercises. Objectives are explicitly stated for both teachers and students
at the start of each module (e.g., "In this module you will learn...") and summarized in the "Now I
can..." section, ensuring clarity of learning goals.

H.Conclusion
Would you recommend adopting this textbook for your students?
Yes
Comment: This textbook is a high-quality, well-balanced resource that effectively combines
vocabulary, grammar, and communication skills. It includes interactive tasks, a modern design,
and practical topics that make learning engaging. However, it could be improved with more
modern topics (e.g., technology). Overall, it is a strong choice for 5th-grade students, and with
minor updates, it could become an ideal learning tool. Using it alongside extra modern
resources is recommended for maximum effectiveness.