This article reports on a study investigating the textbook evaluation techniques of novice and experienced teachers, which was conducted by the Language Teaching Expertise Research Group (or LATEX) within Lancaster University's Department of Linguistics and English Language. Three ELT teachers were chosen to evaluate the student and teacher…

The present study is based on the theoretical assumptions that frequency of characters and their structural components, as well as the frequency types of structural components, are important to enable learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) to discover the underlying structure of Chinese characters. In the CFL context, since reliable…

The opinions of second language learning (L2) theorists and researchers are divided over whether to use authentic or simplified reading texts as the means of input for beginning- and intermediate-level L2 learners. Advocates of both approaches cite the use of linguistic features, syntax, and discourse structures as important elements in support of…

This article explores the use for ELT young learners of predictable stories and books. These stories and books originally written for native English speaking children are finding their way into classrooms for second and foreign language learners. This genre can be used to help native English speaking children as well as children learning English…

Based on an analysis of textbooks, a presentation of four basic functions of clarity, or graphic presentation in the textbook (geographical, semantic, situational, stimulating) as well as their place and functions in the learning processes, on the basis of discoveries by A. N. Leontyev and P. Ja. Galperin. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Factors to be considered in selecting a text for a foreign language classroom are divided into five categories--student/text relationship, curriculum/text relationship, class size/text relationship, teacher/text relationship, and internal construction of the text--are discussed. (RM)

The current effort to produce realistic "problem texts" is here subjected to criticism. One controversial text is offered to stimulate criticism and opinions on the suitability of such texts for teaching foreign languages. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Ninety-three French textbooks were examined to produce this overview of content and methodology; the analysis indicates the books have introduced few innovations and follow traditional modes of presentation. (CK)

Finds that teaching textbooks are becoming more complex and difficult, and less interesting. A procedure is suggested for measuring these qualities in a textbook, based on the "Reading Ease" and "Human Interest" indices of R. Flesh, in Volume 6 of his work "The Good Companion". Two samples from texts are appended. (IFS/WGA)

Sentences in a high school French I textbook were examined to determine the extent to which the writers controlled French syntactic surface structures in terms of their differences with English equivalents. Results show students were exposed to L1-L2 syntactic differences without explanation, and such sentences could cause future difficulties.…

Critiques the standard explanation of German equivalents for "when" presented in textbooks (wann, wenn, als). Analysis of the English-language evidence indicates that "when" is frequently a relative pronoun in descriptions and must be rendered as a relative pronoun in German. The case is made for "wo" as a practical choice, along with "da" or…

This paper summarizes two Russian textbooks' presentations of stress patterns of the Russian noun and offers an alternative that aims to be simpler and pedagogically more attractive. The proposed system presents stress information by means of a base form, written by means of symbols appearing over the appropriate syllable. (CHK)

This study briefly outlines research into some linguistic notions about gender, and then examines and categorizes some approaches to the introduction of gender in a number of American beginning French textbooks intended for use in high schools. (TFP)

Using "begin" and "start" as examples, it is shown that English grammars (for German schools) are syntactically deficient in their description of verbs. Several typical grammar books are cited. Conclusions are drawn and proposals are made for constructing a new English grammar for German schools. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)