ABSTRACT
EFL coursebooks for young learners published in the last decades aim to develop both students’ language skills, as well as their 21st-century skills. They incorporate the latest technology in the materials provided in the teacher’s and student’s packs. Contrary to this, the design of the writing assignments fails to reflect the real world of young learners from Generation Z and Alpha. As a result, writing assignments lack authenticity and clear assessment criteria that would facilitate the writing process and make it more appealing to students. This article aims to compare and contrast the writing assignments in two EFL coursebooks for young learners using the critical comparative evaluation method. The analysis indicates that the assignments in both coursebooks are well-structured in terms of clarity of instructions, the writing model provided, task variety, and age-appropriateness. There is a lack of authenticity and flexibility concerning the use of AI and other digital tools. Furthermore, self and peer assessment are not incorporated into the writing instructions. This can be supplemented by modifying the format of the writing assignments, providing assessment rubrics, and adding real-life types of written communication that include texting and messaging through social media.
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