Abstract：Abstract: Based on the materials evaluation framework, this paper reports on a large-scale survey conducted among Chinese university teachers of English concerning the problems of currently-used English textbooks for English and non-English majors. 3,976 valid questionnaires by teachers of English were collected from 647 universities of different levels and types in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China. There are three major findings that can be presented: 1) university teachers of English responded positively to materials per se, materials use, teacher training in materials, and materials research, but they rated their textbooks the lowest; 2) the content design and compiling principles of English textbooks currently used in universities received comparatively more negative comments; 3) the difficulty level and amount of the materials, the up-to-dateness and interest value of the input material, and the integration of Chinese culture and Chinese elements, the variety of the input material, exercises and activities, the sufficiency and quality of supporting materials receive universal attention and bear the most outstanding problems.
Key words: English textbooks for undergraduates; existing problems; content design of teaching materials; compiling principles; philosophy of education
