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Kennedy,C,Doyle P.and C.(1999)Exploring Change in English Language Teaching.Oxford: Macmillan-Heinemann
 * __Introducing New Course Books__**

This article "Exploring Change in English Language Teaching" is actually related to the first topic discussed during the first sessions of the year. The article describes an unsuccessful attempt to change the course books used in a school in Saudi Arabia. The success or the failure of any [|change] within any educational system greatly depends on whether it is a [|Top- Down or Bottom-Up approach.] Pinar, the writer of the article attributes failure in innovations for various reasons. First, he highlights the importance of management in any change that may happen within any educational system. If it is a Top- Down approach, then teachers who are the most to be affected by the change are excluded from the process. Therefore, resistance may occur and may end up with rejection. Pinar adds that participant's involvement in and contribution to the events and outcomes is assumed to be the solution to the problem of resistance. Second, if it is Bottom-Up approach, the views of all interest groups should be taken into consideration in the process of [|innovation]. Third, Pinar states that the attitude of the people involved in the process of change is of great importance. Some may be open to change and have a more positive attitude whereas others may simply reject. The [|case study]presented in the article is about a private comprehensive school inSaudi Arabia. The school is divided into two sections elementary and secondary departments. Each department is supervised by a senior teacher whose job is to support and help in any issue related to teaching such as planning lessons, preparing activities, choosing textbooks and others. There are about seven hundred pupils in the school. English teachers are non-native teachers with different background knowledge and different years of experience. It is of interest to note that regular books that are used at school emphasized grammar and did not pay attention on improving reading and writing skills. As a result, learners had problems in expressing themselves and progress was slow. The process of implementing the change was done by inviting a publishing company to school. The company explained to the senior teachers about new course books used. The books were designed for native speakers and they were given to the secondary department teachers to check instead of giving them to the elementary school teachers who were supposed to use them. In other words, elementary teachers who were intended to use the books were not consulted or asked to review the books. A meeting one week later was held to discuss the new books. In this particular case, change failed at school and Pinar goes on and explicitly explains the reasons that had led to the failure. The reasons are the following. First, elementary school teachers did not have the chance to examine the books in advance and therefore, they could not express about their opinions regarding the new books. Second, the new books were designed for native speakers and they included authentic literature which was different and new to the learners. Third, some of the stories were not culturally appropriate .Fourth, there were new concepts in the books which were totally new to the learners .Finally, books were expensive. Last but not least, Pinar concludes by stating that for a change to happen it should include various conditions which if met the results of the change will be definitely different. **__My point of view__** The artificial change described here was intended to make improvement. However, this change failed. I think that teachers are change agents and since they are the once who will implement change in class, it is highly important to consider their opinions. For a change to succeed, the co-operation of different parties is essential. Those teachers who are able to reflect on their own experiences, share knowledge and work with others are more likely to develop as professionals and be open to change. This model of social interaction is better than others since it involves the people who are implementing the change.

**__Final Summary__** All teachers agree that for a change to be effective and successful, it should follow a bottom-up approach (social- interaction model), should be well- planned and seriously implemented.This model of social-interaction is recommended for different reasons: First: teacher's voices and opinions are heard. Second: teachers are engaged in the process of change. Third: teachers believe in the change itself and therefore the chances of success are high. In addition, some teachers referred to the point of selecting new coursebooks and how carefully it should be done. Many teachers feel that they are lucky because they have freedom of choosing the coursebooks they use. Teachers feel they are blessed too by having variety of books to choose from, with the help of co-ordinators, supervisors and other English teachers who are willing to help and guide whenever needed.The process of change especially books, is certainly not an easy one therefore the co-operation of different parties is vital. Finally, some teachers state that when MOE(Ministry of Education) obligates teachers to follow a change in the educational system (such as Hots, Ofek Hadash and others) it faces many objections from the teachers at least at the beginning stages and they might not succeed so well.In that specific article 'Exploring Change in English Language Teaching) change was doomed to failure from the beginning.