Developing Public Managers’ English Language Communication Skills – Proposal for a Textbook Design and Evaluation Model

Design and evaluation of language teaching materials has given rise to many academic debates about the usefulness of such materials as well as of their role in the professional development of language teachers. Should professionals in the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) design their own materials or should they adopt published textbooks? The present study aims to contribute to such debates by proposing a set of materials design and evaluation criteria and arguing that there is a necessary link between the two stages in the process of developing teaching/learning materials. Reflecting on the process of designing an English for Public Administration textbook, an analysis is undertaken based on the criteria that informed the design of the textbook. The outcome of the analysis is an evaluation model that could prove relevant for the professional development of lecturers in ESP and could also inform the design and evaluation of textbooks in other disciplines.