Research shows that it takes an average of 5-7 years for English learners to achieve academic English proficiency (Demie, 2013). Students who begin learning English in middle school have exactly 5-7 years remaining in school to achieve proficiency. This project analyzes three textbooks intended for beginning English learners in middle school in order to answer the question: Which textbook or textbooks can be recommended as a solid textbook for grammar instruction for beginning English learners in a middle school? The three textbooks were systematically analyzed for explicit instruction, samples of language, and activity types included, as well as the adherence to the scope of developmental stages of English acquisition (Fernandez, 2001; Dutro et al, 2005). Through the findings, one textbook is recommended above the others for grammar instruction